Better the Devil You Know
by the alpha phoenix
Summary: Revenge is what the demon is after and now it is his chance. TK and Kari find their hidden emotions surface as they live their greatest dreams and worst nightmares at the same time. Takari - other pairings inside
1. Trouble in Paradise

**Better the Devil You Know**

**Chapter 1: Trouble in Paradise**

Hello ladies and gentlemen, I'm the Alpha Phoenix. I thought introducing myself was a good place to start this and now I'll quickly add in the disclaimer.

I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted thing mentioned in this story. If I did own Digimon this fic would be a new season and you'd be watching it instead of reading it. Also there'd be a lot more Takari as I'm a huge fan of both Takeru (TK) and Hikari (Kari). That's something you'll defiantly notice if you haven't already.

Besides Takari, the other pairings in this story are Sorato and Kenyako. There's also some PataGato later in the story.

I'll add a quick summary before I start. Revenge is what he's after and now it is his chance. Two Digidestined find their hidden emotions surface as they live their greatest dreams and worst nightmares at the same time.

(Later additional author's note: Chapters 1 to 13 edited on the 17th September 2011 to correct some errors)

Enjoy.

* * *

The warm midday sunlight radiated through the windows, illuminating the main living space of the medium sized apartment. The door handle of the grey main door moved down, allowing the entrance to open for a young teen brunette girl to step into her home. She was followed in by a taller blonde teen boy who was carrying two plastic shopping bags.

"You know I would have carried one of them, TK," the brunette's mahogany eyes glanced with slight disapproval towards the blonde as he walked into the open plan kitchen and placed the bags down on the granite worktop. "After all, I did pay for half of it," she sighed and finished her pose by placing her hands on her hips to make sure she got her point across.

TK's sapphire blue eyes looked up from the bags and focused on his best friend. The taller teen, by around 20cm, smirked when he saw the brunette's pose. He knew that she didn't approve of him doing things like this for her. TK looked back down to the bags and opened them to look through the items they had brought. "Kari, your bag was heavier than mine with all the tins of tuna for Gatomon in here. Besides, I wouldn't have been a proper gentleman if I didn't carry it for you," he teased.

Kari laughed as she walked over to him. "Since when did you become such a gentleman?"

"I've always been a gentleman," TK glanced up while faking a look of hurt. It didn't last long as Kari laughed again, forcing him to laugh with her. Her laughs usually had that affect on him. He sighed and took one last look into the bags. "I think we've got everything. We wouldn't want Patamon and Gatomon to be upset because we forgot something."

"All they care about is that we visit them and occasionally bring them food. I know Gatomon will be missing her tuna," Kari stared into the bags to make sure everything was still there before letting out a sigh. "It's a shame the Digimon have to stay in the Digital World."

TK sighed too. "I know, but they can't stay in our world for too long without loosing their energy and they might need their energy to fight again someday."

"I know," the brunette replied with a slightly saddened tone to her voice.

The messy haired blonde placed his hand on her shoulder. "At least we still get to visit them regularly unlike after our first adventure."

His trademark hopeful grin spread across his face and Kari's mood instantly lightened as she looked into his eyes. That smile and the hope she always saw in his ocean coloured orbs never failed to cheer her up. The teen girl felt a slight heat develop in her cheeks at the thought of it.

"I think we have everything," TK said as removed his hand from her shoulder to pick up the bags so they could move on to their next destination.

"Great," Kari snapped out of her train of thought. "I'll quickly grab my camera and make sure I look ready."

"Make sure you look ready?" The teen boy gave her a quizzical stare, looking up and down her. "You look beautiful just as you are."

He looked at her shoulder length chestnut hair that was pinned in place on her left side by a pink hairclip. She was wearing a long sleeved pink shirt over a white t-shirt, which covered her developing breasts and slim figure. The top was teamed with a light blue denim skirt and pink striped white sneakers that allowed her beautiful legs to see the world.

TK's eyes returned to Kari's face. He noticed her cheeks turning a rosy colour and then he realised what he said. His cheeks quickly turned red as the heat rose to his face. They both broke eye contact and looked shyly at the ground. The blonde made a mental note that moments like this were starting to happen a lot more regularly.

"Um, thanks," Kari quietly replied as she tried to hide the growing redness of her face.

Her almond eyes returned their gaze to TK so she could observe him. She noticed he was wearing clothes she'd helped him pick out during spring break. The teen boy had on a short sleeved green shirt, which covered his slim upper body, and the dark blue denim shorts she'd picked out for him to wear with that shirt. She looked at his green and white striped sneakers.

'_His and hers matching sneakers and I'm wearing the clothes he help me pick too_,' she thought, making her cheeks turn an even deeper shade of red. Kari looked up to his blonde head. She still thought her best friend didn't look right without a hat on. When they were eight he wore a green baseball cap and after that hat there was his once trademark white fisherman's hat. It was the one he wore when he moved back to Odaiba and then for the rest of the time they were in elementary school. He had stopped wearing it once they entered Junior High for three reasons. It was now too small for his growing head, it use to fly off his head every time he played his favourite sport, basketball, and their teacher told him: "Hats aren't part of the school uniform."

TK's eyes moved away from the floor, which had all of a sudden seemed very interesting to him, and back to Kari's mahogany spheres. The brief eye contact quickly returned the slightly fading blushes back to their cheeks as they both looked back down to the floor to try and recompose themselves.

Neither of them had noticed a tall, older teen with extremely wild brown hair enter the room during their conversation. He'd listened to them and, noticing their reactions, decided to interrupt them in the typical style of an older brother.

"She thinks you're cute," he teased his younger sister and her best friend.

"TAI!" Kari instinctively protested as she turned around to give the surprise intruder a death stare.

Tai laughed at his younger sister. "You're turning into a tomato," he teased her as her face turned crimson red. "Hikari Kamiya and Takeru Takaishi are in…"

"Aren't you meant to be playing in a football match today?" the teen girl quickly changed the subject as she folded her arms.

"Yeah and I'm running late, but I thought I'd say hi and bye to you both before I left," Tai chuckled as he made his way to the shoe rack by the main door.

"Then get going," the annoyance was clear in Kari's voice.

The older sibling shook his head and laughed again as he placed his Astroturf football boots on. "See ya later," he smiled and waved to the two younger teens.

"See ya Tai," TK waved back as the heat in his checks died down.

"Bye," Kari huffed as she watched her brother leave the apartment.

"We should get going too," TK said as he lifted the shopping bags off the counter. "We don't want to be later than Davis."

The brunette laughed as she turned around to face her best friend again. Somehow the little joke about Davis and his poor time keeping eased the awkwardness which was there just seconds ago. "You're right. Can you imagine anyone turning up later than Davis, other than Tai?"

TK laughed with her has they made their way out of the apartment and headed to Yolei's.

* * *

Two boys sat quietly on the pink quilted bed of what obviously was a girl's bedroom. The smaller and younger of the two had short dark brown hair and was wearing a purple t-shirt in addition to his black jeans. The older of the boys was wearing a white short sleeved shirt, with the outline of a red dragon on the back, and dark blue jeans. He had medium length, styled dark purple hair which matched his violet eyes. They were both staring at the door and listening to the shouting match taking place on the other side.

"NO! YOU CAN'T FILM US GOING TO THE DIGITAL WORLD!" screamed a girl in anger.

"Please Yolei," another girl pleaded. "It's so cool."

"NO!"

"Why can't I? I'll work one of your shifts in the store."

"Because we would all be in a lot of trouble if the video ever got on into the wrong hands," Yolei finished as she opened the door to her bedroom. The long, purple haired girl slammed her door shut in her sister's face before turning to the two Digidestined boys in her room.

"Sometimes I wish I never told them I'm a Digidestined," the tall girl sighed as she readjusted her slim, rectangular glasses. They were a lot cooler than her old 'goldfish bowl' glasses as she now called them. With the exception of her glasses, her dress sense had remained the same over the years. She still preferred her black cargo pants to the green school skirt she was forced to wear most weekdays of the year. Yolei also kept her choice in t-shirts the same as she was wearing a newer version of her Radio t-shirt.

Yolei made her way to her computer desk and sighed again as she sat down on the pine chair. The violet haired boy walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"They think it's cool that we're Digidestined and just want to see some of the things we do," the tall teen boy offered her a reasonable explanation for her sister's actions.

"I guess you're right Ken," Yolei looked up at him and smiled. "It's like when we first started dating, they always wanted you to come here because they couldn't believe I have the boy genius Ken Ichijouji as my boyfriend."

Ken smiled back before bending down to kiss his girlfriend on her soft lips. It was just a quick kiss but it was enough to change Yolei's mood.

"How are you finding Odaiba, Ken?" asked the young boy who was still sitting on the bed.

"It's good Cody," the older boy smiled and looked at his younger friend. "Seeing Yolei and going to the Digital World with you guys is a lot easier. Going to school with Davis has been, um, interesting too."

Cody and Yolei laughed remembering some of the crazy things Davis had done at school before Ken moved to Odaiba, including playing football inside and breaking six windows in one year.

"Thinking of school, Mimi is moving back to Japan in a few weeks. Her Dad has got a new job here and the school year is over in America," Yolei enthusiastically informed her friends. "We'll get to see her everyday at school."

"That's great. I bet old older Digidestined are really excited," Ken answered fondly as he remembered Mimi had helped him join the group so they could fight Arukenimon.

"We finish school in March and start the new school year in April, like most schools in Japan. I'm guessing the school year is different in America, right?" Cody pondered aloud.

Ken looked over to him. "Yeah, it starts either late August or early September and finishes in June."

"It's not fair. Their summer holiday is one month longer than ours," Yolei complained. "We only get from mid-July to late August. Imagine the extra time we could spend in the Digiworld if we had another month off."

"We'd still be waiting for the others to turn up now even if we had another month off," Ken laughed. "And besides, in two weeks time we'll have our summer break too."

"Then we can spend all our spare time with our Digimon," Cody smiled as he thought about seeing his Digimon partner, Armadillomon, more often.

"But we still don't get that extra month," Yolei sighed before looking to her alarm clock. "Kari, TK and Davis are late."

"Davis is always late," Ken chuckled. "In fact I think I'd be very worried if he did turn up on time or early for something. That would mean something was terribly wrong."

"But TK and Kari are never late," Cody pointed out.

"Kari and TK will be together somewhere," Yolei smiled. "They spend a lot of time together, hence the rumours at school about them secretly dating. You must admit they would make a really cute couple, they're perfect for each other."

Cody and Ken were about to reply when the bedroom door opened and the subjects of the conversation, TK and Kari, walked in.

"Hey guys," TK smiled and waved to his friends.

"Heya," Yolei replied. "And where have you two been?" The purple haired added extra emphasis on the 'you' part.

"We've been to the shops to get our Digimon and ourselves some food for the picnic," Kari smiled as she closed the door behind her.

"So you weren't on a secret date like the rumours at school said you were?" Yolei teased her younger friends. The older girl saw it as her way of making them realise their true feelings for each other.

"No!" Kari protested. Her cheeks, along with TK's, began to turn a shade of pink for the second time that day.

"They say the only reason TK keeps turning down all of his fan girls is because of you, Kari," Yolei continued as she watched the brunette's and blonde's faces turn bright red. "Actually, now I think of it, you're like his number one fan girl."

"TK and I are just friends," Kari replied somewhat unconvincingly. "We're best friends so of course we're close. That's all Yolei."

Yolei was going to continue but realised Kari sounded a little hurt as she finished her sentence. The older decided to stop her banter and allow her friend's faces to return to a normal colour.

"Now, as normal, we're waiting for …" Cody was cut off by a panting goggle-headed boy walking into the room.

"Sorry I'm late guys," the brown haired boy in a red Manchester United football shirt and denim shorts apologised between breaths.

"What was it this time, Davis?" Yolei asked pre-empting an excuse from her younger and out of breath friend.

"I forgot to set my alarm clock," Davis panted. "Then I couldn't find my goggles. I can't go to the Digiworld without them."

The purple haired girl shook her head in a disagreeing reply to her younger friend's obsession with the goggles before reaching over to her computer desk for her red and white digivice.

"Is everyone ready?" Yolei asked as she pointed the screen of her digivice to her computer monitor. "Digiport open!" She yelled after the other Digidestined unanimously informed her they were ready to go.

A bight white light formed around the children of destiny as they we sucked into the computer monitor like water down a drain.

* * *

The sunlight of the clear sky reflected off a calm, peaceful lake causing it to glisten as small waves gently rolled up the shoreline. A soft breeze rustled the leaves of trees in a nearby forest as it cooled the midday heat. The plants of this forest shared the ground with random, unorganised street signs which had no relevance to the area and were a long way from any road. Two trams also sat out of place at the edge of the lake, looking as if they were abandoned there and lost without their rails. The final random misfit was the small grey TV that sat on the lake's shore near the trams.

A group of six Digimon walked out of the forest and towards the TV, chatting with each other as they did so. Walking at the front of the group was a small blue and grey, dragon-like creature that walked upright on his two legs. To the right of the cheerful dragon was a smaller green caterpillar-like Digimon which had a vertical purple mouth and lots of fast moving purple feet. Four more Digimon strolled along behind the other two. On the left of the group walked a yellow armadillo. Next to him was an orange and cream cross between a bat and a hamster that used its ears, which resembled bat wings, to fly. To his right was a cat Digimon that walked on her hind legs. Her fur was white with purple tips to her ears and had a corkscrewing purple stripe down her tail. The feline also had yellow and red gloves covering her front paws. Finally, walking on the far right of the group was a white and red feathered bird with black wing tips. The group reached the side of the random television and stopped, waiting for their friends to arrive.

Suddenly a bright white light emitted out from the screen of the TV onto the shoreline of the lake. The light remained for a few seconds before dying down and revealing what it had delivered to this world. A pile of six groaning, entangled bodies lay on the ground where the light had once covered.

"Wow, this place looks like paradise. Good choice Kari," Yolei approved as she separated herself from the heap she and her friends had landed in.

"I told you it was beautiful," Kari looked around and smiled when she saw her Digimon partner. "Gatomon," the brunette cheered as the cat Digimon jumped into her arms.

"It's beautiful when you're not being attacked by Seadramon. Isn't that right, Patamon?" TK laughed as he placed the food bags on the floor, allowing his Digimon to fly into his hands.

"Yep it is, TK," Patamon, the bat-hamster, replied. The joy of seeing his human partner again was clear from the size of the smile on his face.

"And it's better than last time we were here too, TK," Kari remembered back to the end of their first adventure.

"Yeah, last time we left here we didn't know if we'd ever see our Digimon again," TK hugged Patamon tightly. "Fortunately, now we can travel back and forth to see our friends when ever we want."

"I guess us newer Digidestined are lucky we can open the Digital Gates when we want to," Davis smiled before his stomach growled loudly.

The blue dragon Digimon laughed at his partner before his stomach also signalled to him he was hungry. The Digimon looked up to his friend. "Davis it's food time."

"Sure thing, Veemon," he replied as he pulled his black rucksack off his back and opened it up.

"Hawkmon, I brought you your favourite cake." Yolei smiled at her partner as she reached into a bag she brought to pull out the confectionary item. The purple haired girl knelt down to the red and white bird Digimon who thanked his partner as she handed him the gift.

"I hope you brought me some prune juice," the yellow armadillo Digimon asked Cody.

"Of course I did Armadillomon," the young boy with short brown hair replied.

"It's so good to see you again Ken," the green caterpillar Digimon's joy from seeing his partner again was clear in his voice as he ran up to the violet haired teen.

"It's good to see you too Wormmon," Ken replied as he scoped the small Digimon up in his arms.

* * *

The Digidestined and their Digimon sat at the edge of the lake, chatting fondly of old memories from their past adventures. The food had long been eaten, mainly by the Digimon, and everyone was now relaxing in the paradise of the Digiworld.

"Do you remember when Davis wanted to chop off Shogungekomon's hair?" Yolei laughed. She was sitting with her left arm interlinked with Ken's right arm.

"Yeah," Cody replied, laughing too. He sat up against a tree next to Armadillomon. "The Gekomon went crazy."

"Then Kari called him insensitive and he sulked for a week," Veemon teased his partner and joined in with the laugher. He was laying down next Davis, who was also joking about it.

"Hey, the big dude needed a new haircut and I offered him one," Davis added has he placed his hands behind his head and stretched out his legs.

"Using the super sensitive shampoo that you said you use?" Kari teased him. She was sat with TK and their Digimon at the edge of the lake. "The same super sensitive shampoo you tried to use to convince me that you were sensitive."

"Yep, using that very same shampoo," Davis laughed. "Yolei's family's convenience store has some if you need some."

The ground suddenly shook violently, instantly ending the laughter. A low rumble matched the vibration of the ground and a couple of trees fell over in the forest with loud cracks. The ground stopped shaking just as suddenly as it had started. Several loud, monstrous roars echoed over the lake making the Digidestined and their Digimon jump to their feet.

Six black skinned dragon-like Digimon jumped out of the forest and flew into the air. These demonic Digimon each possessed four glowing red eyes, a long black tail and four torn black wings. Their salivating mouths were lined with jagged sharp teeth. They had long forearms which ended in red razor like claws. Their hind limbs were thick and looked like they could pack a mean kick that could cause a lot of damage with the grey claws protruding from their feet.

"Devidramon!" Ken yelled, remembering the demons from his time as the Digimon Emperor.

"Everyone digivolve!" Davis screamed out his order as he turned to face Veemon.

The Digidestined's digivices and their Digimon began to glow a brilliant white light that signalled the start of the Digimon's digivolutions.

"Veemon digivolve to Exveemon!" The blue and grey dragon grew in size as the white light enveloped his body. A pair of white wings grew out of his back and the small horn on his nose grew into a large blade. His tail extended too as a large cross appeared on his chest. The light died down to reveal Exveemon's blue colour, white mouth and white chest.

"Wormmon digivolve to Stingmon!" The worm Digimon's body grew upwards and took the form of a tall humanoid bug. Four see through wings grew out of his back as large black claws grew on the end of his arms and legs. The bright light faded to show his green colour and large red compound eyes.

"Patamon digivolve to Angemon." The bright white light of digivolution surrounded Patamon's body, allowing him to take the shape of an angel. He possessed six white feathered wings, a large golden staff and a grey helmet that covered his eyes. The digivolution ended, presenting his white body to the Digiworld.

"Hawkmon digivolve to Aquilamon!" Hawkmon flew up into the air as his body as wings grew in size. Two large grey horns protruded out of his white feathered head and the claws on his feet took a more vicious shape. The light faded away, showing the red and white plumage of the giant bird Digimon.

"Armadillomon digivolve to Ankylomon!" Armadillomon's body rapidly expanded and began taking the form of a metal plated dinosaur. He had large spikes along his spine and sides as well as a large club at the end of his tail. The digivolution light revealed his yellow body with a purple stomach.

"Crimson Claw!" All the Devidramon roared their attack in unison and dived towards the now champion level Digimon partnered to the Digidestined. They all had their blood red claws outstretched, ready to slash the chosen Digimon.

Exveemon used his muscular legs to force himself into the air and into the path of one oncoming dark dragon. The blue dragon clenched his fist and threw a punch in the direction of the Devidramon attacking him. His fist collided head on with the right claw of the winged demon, knocking them both backwards through the air. Both Digimon regained control of their flight and turned to face each other.

"Spiking strike!" Purple spikes protruded from the attachments on both of Stingmon's arms as he flew into the air to face his attacker. The Devidramon charging Stingmon had both his claws out in front of him as he dived towards the green and black bug Digimon. Stingmon's attack smashed into the claws of the Devidramon in the same way Exveemon's fist had with the other Devidramon. Both Digimon pushed off each other and Stingmon took up a position next to his DNA digivolution partner, Exveemon.

Angemon was using his experience with Devidramon to lure the bad tempered monster towards him as he hovered in the air. The demon drew its claw back and then swung it forwards, taking a swipe at the angel. Angemon flew out of the way of the attack and over the evil Digimon. He spun around and drew his right fist back. A golden light formed around his hand has he did so.

"Hand of Fate!" Angemon yelled his attack before thrusting his fist forwards. He knew his attacks were most affective against evil Digimon like the Devidramon, which was proven when the golden energy struck the back of the black dragon. The Devidramon roared in pain as it shattered into millions of tiny pieces of data.

Gatomon crouched on the ground, waiting for the Devidramon coming towards her. She had the most experience with Devidramon because of her time working for Myotismon, the demon she eventually defeated. The Devidramon swung its claw in her direction but missed as Gatomon jumped onto it and then leapt for its head.

"Lightning Paw!" Gatomon clenched her yellow paw and her fist made contact with the demon dragon. The force of the attack knocked the Devidramon to the ground.

"Grand horn!" Aquilamon yelled his attack as he flew head first towards the Devidramon coming his way. The black winged monster barrel rolled out of the path of charging giant bird and flew past him. Both Digimon turned around and faced each other.

"Tail hammer!" Ankylomon bellowed the name of his attack as he swung the club on the end of his tail in the direction of the on rushing Devidramon. The black dragon pulled out of his attack and avoided the clubbed tail before landing on the ground in front of Ankylomon.

"One down, five to go," Davis shouted before turned to face the other Digidestined. "I say we DNA digivolve and finish them off."

The other Digidestined nodded in agreement and told their Digimon to move into position with their DNA partners for the joint digivolution.

"Exveemon…"

"Stingmon…"

The white digivolution light surrounded the bodies of the two Digimon as their joining started.

"DNA digivolve to Paildramon!" Stingmon's green and black armour enveloped Exveemon's body as they combined. Six wings appeared on their back, one pair blue, one pair white and one green pair. The digivolution completed after a red helmet formed over the now single being's head and a pair of guns appeared on its hips.

Angemon flew down to Ankylomon and landed next to him. The energy of DNA digivolution shone out of their bodies as the union began.

"Ankylomon…"

"Angemon…"

"DNA digivolve to Shakkoumon!" A large metal armour covered humanoid Digimon formed from the two champion level monsters. It was silver in colour and had a single pair of white angel wings protruding from its back. Shakkoumon hovered in the air using jets in his feet.

Aquilamon flew down towards Gatomon and the light of digivolution took over their bodies.

"Aquilamon…"

"Gatomon…"

"DNA digivolve to Silphymon!" Gatomon's and Aquilamon's bodies combined into a humanoid figure. Silphymon had a human head with Gatomon's ears, a white upper body with a metallic chest plate, feathers protruding from its claw tipped arms and Aquilamon's red feathered bird feet.

"Time to end this fight," Davis ordered as he clenched his fists. "Get them!"

"Desperado Blaster!" Paildramon took a hold of the guns on his hips and aimed them in the direction of the Devidramon. He pulled the triggers and fired blue energy bullets out of the machine guns. The bullets tore through the two Devidramon that were opposing Exveemon and Stingmon moments ago. The two demon dragons were unable to withstand the attack of the ultimate Digimon and shattered into data.

"Static Force!" Silphymon placed its hands out in front of its body. A pink energy ball formed which it then threw in the direction of the Devidramon that was once attacking Aquilamon. The energy enveloped the dark Digimon's body and turned it to dust.

The Devidramon that had been attacked by Gatomon jumped into to the air and flew towards Silphymon. It with drew its claw and prepared to attack. "Crimson claw!"

"Watch out Silphymon," Kari screamed as she watched the demon dragon flying towards her DNA digivolved Digimon.

"Astral Laser!" A light covered Silphymon's body as it turned and flew towards the attacking Devidramon. The DNA Digimon released the light from its body and majestically corkscrewed out of the way of the virus type at the last second. The light collided with the Devidramon, instantly deleting it.

"Justice Beam!" Shakkoumon fired red beams out of his eyes in the direction of the Devidramon that Ankylomon was fighting with. The beams burned through the demon dragon, turning it into data.

A bright light emitted from the DNA Digimon as the split apart and returned to their normal forms. They ran back to their human partners, who had already begun to collect all their stuff so they could return to Earth.

"I say we better get out of here before any other evil Digimon turn up," TK spoke to the group as he picked up the bags he brought with him. "We should take our Digimon back with us too."

"Yeah," Kari added as Gatomon returned to her side. "We should let Izzy know about this."

* * *

Ah, the end of the first chapter. It's meant to be a basic reintroduction to the characters and get the plot rolling. It is also meant to fill you in on some of the events in the year and a half between the end of the second season and this story, like Ken and Yolei being together.

Please click the review button below and leave your comments, even a one word review will do


	2. Phantom Disturbance

**Chapter 2: Phantom Disturbance**

Hello all. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Your reviews gave me the motivation to write this chapter quicker.

I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted thing I mention in this story. If I did own Digimon Tai and Joe would have a court order banning them from singing ever again.

* * *

The stands of Odaiba Junior High's gym were full of cheering spectators in their standard green and white uniforms. Kari perched on the edge of her seat as she watched an enthralling basketball game unfold in front of her. Davis, who sat to her right, was just as captivated as his brunette friend and the rest of the crowd.

The opposition lead by four points with five minutes remaining on the clock. TK, in the white and green jersey of the Odaiba team, stole the ball from under the nose of an opposition player. The tall blonde used his skill, which had quickly made him the top player of the school's main basketball team, to get the orange ball under control so he could begin his own attack at the rival team's defence. TK used his pace and elite ball control to move the ball past one player and into the opponent's half of the court.

"GO TK!" Kari yelled in support, along with most of the observing girls, as she rose to her feet in anticipation.

TK had one player left between him and points for his team. The teen boy took on the final opponent using another piece of skill that left the rival player falling over his own feet as TK shot and scored two points. The crowd erupted, cheering and chanting TK's name as he brought the team within a point of their adversary.

"TD isn't that great," Davis huffed as he retook his seat.

Kari took a quick photo of TK for the school paper before sitting back down. "You only say things like that about _TK_ when you're jealous of him," the brunette noticed the envious tone in her friend's voice. "You wish you had all of his fan girls and basketball skills. Also, you only started playing the drums so you could say TK plays his guitar with you," she teased.

"Well, I'm a better footballer than him and you're jealous of all of his fan girls," Davis folded his arms and huffed.

"Since when have I been jealous of his fan girls?" Kari laughed.

"Since they started ruining your chances to get with TO," Davis smirked as he gained the upper hand in this exchange.

Kari felt her cheeks warm up at the suggestion of her having feelings for her blonde best friend. She turned back to the basketball game, trying to hide the pink tint of her face.

Davis' smirk grew as he returned his focus to the match being played out on court before them. The goggle head wouldn't normally admit he knew Kari had a crush on his friendly rival, TK, because of his own crush on the teen girl. However, the fun loving teen couldn't turn down the chance to tease his friend. Davis' crush on Kari wasn't a big as it used to be but he knew he could not turn down a chance to be with someone as beautiful as her if the opportunity ever arose.

A nervous hush had come over the crowd as the clock began to run down. Both teams were becoming anxious, causing them to make unnecessary errors as they tried desperately to win the extremely close game.

There were 15 seconds left on the clock when an opposition player tried to dribble the ball past TK. However, the player's nerves and exhaustion got the better of him, making him to loose control of the ball. TK picked up the loose ball and glanced over to the clock. The blonde teen realised there was now only ten seconds left and quickly sprinted towards the opposition's hoop. Three of the other team's players surrounded him and forced his run to a halt. TK looked around for a quick pass but found all his options blocked. The tall teen was trapped on the side line as he looked to red hoop 14 metres away. TK, fully aware time was running out, steadied himself for a shot. He threw the ball through a gap left by two of the players in his path and stood on the spot as he watched the ball float towards the hoop.

The whole crowd held their breath as they watched the orange sphere glide through the air. They gasped as the ball hit the back rim of the hoop before falling through. The audience jumped out of their seat cheering the final three points of the match that had won the game for their team. The end of the match was sounded, which acted as a signal for the Odaiba players and coach to run to TK and congratulate him for the amazing shot. The blonde boy was lifted into the air by some of the older players while he was patted on the back by others. The crowd began chanting TK's name has his team mates carried the blonde around the court.

Kari could see her friend was slightly uncomfortable with all the attention. She knew he didn't like all of the attention he was given. It was because TK was a team player and believed the whole team should be praised, not just him. This didn't stop the brunette though as she took photo's of him and joined the others screaming TK's name as loud as they could.

* * *

Kari and Davis stood at the school gates, waiting in the gentle summer breeze for TK to finish in the changing rooms. However, the two Digidestined were not the only ones waiting for TK. At the entrance to the gym stood a mob of fan girls waiting to congratulate the basketball team's hero.

"I kind of feel sorry for him," Kari referred to TK as she lent back against a wall and glanced over to the gang of girls that her blonde friend would have to fight through. She had enough of a problem when Davis used to be obsessed about her and couldn't imagine what it must feel like to have half the female population of the school wanting you.

"Having girls all over you is great," Davis said confidently. "I bet TK loves it."

"Somehow I don't believe he does," Kari replied with a matter of fact tone before she took her silver camera out of her pocket to look at the photos from the game.

"Hey guys," Veemon startled the teens as he stuck his head out from a bush to their right.

"Did you see the game?" Patamon asked the humans as he flew down from the tree above their heads. "TK was awesome."

Gatomon jumped out of the tree and onto the wall behind the Digidestined. "Even Veemon was cheering for him."

Veemon looked up at the cat Digimon. "What's that supposed to mean? I always cheer for my friends."

"Everyone was cheering for him and chanting his name," Patamon's pride at how the match went for his human partner was clear in his voice.

"Even Davis was," Kari teased.

"Well, um," Davis stalled. "I was caught up in the moment and I always cheer for my friends too. Anyway, Kari, you were yelling louder than me as you were trying to out do all the other fan girls."

Kari looked down to the camera in her hands so her silky chocolate hair would hide the pink tint that had returned to her cheeks. She mentally cursed herself for blushing before quickly formulating a comeback. "Obviously I was yelling TK's name, he's my best friend. I have to show him my support." The teen girl forced back her blush as she looked up at Davis and stuck her tongue out.

The group were distracted from their conversation by loud screams and shrieks from the sea of green blouses with white sailor collars, white shirts and green pleated skirts. They could make out TK's messy blonde hair in the centre of the girls who were trying to get him to sign items of clothing and various accessories. Some of the girls even pulled him in for kisses but the teen boy always turned his head so they would only kiss his cheek.

"They're like kittens around catnip," Gatomon commented on the fan girls' behaviour.

"I'll go and save him," Davis enthusiastically volunteered as he pushed himself off the wall.

"Hoping to get a kiss from one of the girls yourself?" Kari teased again.

"I'll attract them like a magnet with my body," Davis laughed. "We'll meet you at the football field. I'm going to take him through the school so the fan girls don't follow us," he yelled as he walked over to the flock still at the gym exit.

The spiky brown haired teen forced his way between the bodies of the squealing girls towards the blonde at the centre. "TK," Davis yelled, for once he didn't do his normal joke where he got his friend's name wrong in these situations. "TK," he shouted again but his friend still couldn't hear him. Davis sighed and pushed his way into the centre.

"TK we've got to go, our friends are waiting for us," the goggle head grabbed the taller boy's arm, leading him away from the twenty or more fan girls and towards the school entrance.

"Thanks Davis," TK sighed as they managed to escape the mob when they entered the school building. "I owe you one."

Davis laughed. "Sometimes you're too nice for your own good. I can't believe you would have given them all an autograph or something."

TK sighed again and shook his head at the idea of having to put up with the fan girls for long periods of time. "So where are we going?" the blonde asked while adjusting the placement of his gym bag on his shoulder.

"Kari and our Digimon are waiting for us at the soccer field but I thought it would be best to go through the school first so we could make sure all your fans didn't decide to follow me when they saw my amazing body," a smirk spread across Davis' face as finished.

TK laughed at his friend's self confidence or arrogance, he couldn't decide which it was. "Good idea. Imagine if any of them found out we are Digidestined, they'd never leave us and Ken alone."

"Exactly," Davis replied smugly because someone had, for once, called one of his plans a good idea.

After five minutes of randomly walking around the school building, TK and Davis arrived at the football pitch to find Kari and the Digimon sat down on the first bench of the spectator stand, waiting for them.

"You played really well today, TK," Kari smiled as the guys approached her.

"Yeah," all the Digimon cheered in agreement.

"Thanks guys," TK smiled back.

Kari couldn't hold back her giggles any longer as she stared at her best friend while he walked up to her.

"What?" TK's confusion was clear from his face.

The brunette pointed to his cheek. "It looks like you really impressed the fan girls today. You've got lipstick all over your face."

The basketball star sighed before he unzipped gym bag to get his towel and buried his head into the green cloth.

"I get the feeling that one day they'll run off with you and keep you for themselves," Kari chuckled.

"No thanks," TK looked up from his towel. "You know what, one of your fan boys might take you away one day too."

"I don't have fan boys," the brunette smirked at the suggestion.

"Sure you do. Lots of guys in the school like you," the tall teen clued her up while putting his towel back in his bag.

"Who?" She gave him a puzzled look.

"Well your number one fan boy is right here," TK pointed at Davis, who stood to his to his left.

"I'm not a fan boy," the spiky haired teen protested. "Fan boys are obsessive and possessive. I don't act like that around Kari."

The others burst out laughing at the goggle head, remembering very well how he acted around Kari over the last few years.

"What?" It was Davis' turn to look perplexed. "I'm not the one who spends most of their time with her. I say you're her number one fan boy and she's your number one fan girl."

"Jealous?" TK asked as he and Kari sniggered at the idea.

Davis huffed, folded his arms and looked away. "I'm never jealous."

The others exploded out into another round of laughter but were stopped when they heard a familiar beeping sound come from their bags.

"That sounds like trouble," Gatomon observed as she looked up at Kari.

The Digidestined reached into their bags to find the source of the noise.

Kari was first to pull out the black and grey gadget that was her D-Terminal. She opened up the device and looked at the new message. "It's from Izzy. He wants us to meet him at the computer lab here right now."

"Let's go," Davis spun around and lead the others into the school.

* * *

A red haired teen boy, wearing the green jacket, white shirt and grey trousers of the school uniform, sat on a wooden chair, glaring at the monitor as he furiously typed away.

"What's the problem Izzy?" Ken asked as he, Yolei, Hawkmon and Wormmon looked at the computer screen.

"There's an unknown disturbance in the Digital World on File Island," the computer genius informed his friends. "I'm theorising it is related to the incident on Saturday when you were attacked by those Devidramon."

Yolei sighed. "This is the first time we've had problems like this in a year and a half."

"Wasn't the Digiworld was protected from evil Digimon when Oikawa died?" Wormmon asked nobody in particular.

"It was," Izzy replied with his dark brown eyes still fixed to the monitor. "Or at least we, meaning myself and Gennai, thought it was."

"Then who or what could be causing this?" Hawkmon's white feathered head turned to Izzy.

"I have no idea," the red head's focus remained uninterrupted. "But I'm going to keep researching the problem and I will have an answer soon, hopefully."

A worried expression formed on Ken's face as he looked at the floor. "I hope it isn't caused by the world that Dark Ocean is in."

A shiver travelled up Yolei's spine at the mention of the mysterious dark world. "Me too and I think the will others hope it isn't caused by that Ocean as well."

"As I said," Izzy turned his head to Ken. "I don't know what is causing it. The Dark World is only one possibility out of many other options. It could only be a few bad eggs."

The sliding door to the computer lab opened rapidly, interrupting the conversation. Davis, TK, Kari and their Digimon ran into the room and quickly shut the door behind them to make sure nobody could see or hear them.

"We're here," Davis announced before checked to make sure everyone else was there. He noticed they were missing someone. "Where's Cody?"

"He's got kendo practice with his grandpa," Yolei answered, "And, even if he didn't have kendo, he's still at Odaiba elementary so it would take him 15 minutes to get here."

"We'll have to go without him," Davis reached for his digivice. "Let's go."

"Hold on a second, I'm still pin pointing the exact location of the disturbance," Izzy turned back to the computer screen and returned to his rapid typing.

"Good game?" Yolei turned to Kari and TK as she tried to lighten the mood in the room.

"Yeah, it was amazing," Kari smiled.

"TK was the hero," Patamon boasted.

"He scored three points in the last seconds of the game to win it," Gatomon added.

"Then after the match all of his fan girls went to kiss him," Kari teased the blonde, knowing he was uncomfortable with all the attention.

"That explains the pinky red tint to his cheeks," Yolei laughed.

TK sighed causing Ken to look across to him. "I know exactly how you feel, TK," the purple haired boy shared his understanding of the situation with his friend. "I still get girls chasing me now, although, it used to be a lot worse before Yolei became my girlfriend."

"I don't get why you two complain about it," Davis glance between them. "I love having girls chase me."

Both Ken and TK were about to reply when Izzy cut them off. "They are as popular as Tai and Matt were before they left for Odaiba Senior High. Anyway, back to more important matters. I've found the exact location of the disturbance …"

"Great. Where is it?" Veemon interrupted.

"I was just about to tell you," the computer genius' annoyance was clear.

"Sorry," Veemon apologised and allowed Izzy to continue.

"The location of the disturbance is the Overdell. Be very careful because in our original adventure Sora and Joe were attacked by Bakemon there."

"Don't worry Izzy, we'll be ok," Kari reassured him as she reached for her pink and white digivice.

"Ok," he nodded. "I'll stay behind and monitor things from here. I'll also make sure nobody comes into the lab until you're back."

"Thanks Iz," Yolei turned to Izzy's computer and enthusiastically pointed her red and white digivice at the screen. "Right, let's gooooooooooooo. Digiport open."

Izzy stood back, watching as a white light protruded from the screen and sucked the younger Digidestined and their Digimon into the Digital World.

* * *

The Digidestined and their Digimon were dumped unceremoniously by the white light emitted from the screen of the random TV at the Overdell.

"This is the sort of place you expect to find bad guys," Yolei thought aloud as the chill of the place made her shiver.

The Overdell was dark and cold with a permanent mist that lingered in the area. It was a large cemetery, with grey gravestones and dead black trees stretching out as far as the eye could see.

"I guess the source of the disturbance is coming from there," Ken pointed to a tall, dark and gothic church standing alone in the centre of graveyard.

"Ok, let's go in and kick some butt," Davis marched towards the creepy building.

"Wait Davis, we need a plan," Kari stopped the goggle head from rushing in.

"Hello Digidestined," a cold, dark voice echoed through the graveyard, startling the Digidestined and their partners. They quickly spun around to see where the voice had come from.

"Who are you?" TK glared at the Digimon floating before him. The reaper like monster possessed demonic, glowing red eyes set back within a shiny metallic skull that was covered by a black hood. This hood was part of a torn cape with a red inner lining, which fluttered around in the cold wind. The cyborg's body consisted of a metal spine with a purple static ball at the base and two arms formed of bright blue bots of electricity and bone-like metal hands.

"I am Metalphantomon," the Digimon replied as he swapped his black scythe between his hands. Purple bots of electricity formed the blades of the metal demon's weapon. "And you, Digidestined, are now my prisoners."

"In your dreams," Davis raised his fist. "Everyone digivolve!"

The bright white light of digivolution emitted from the Digidestined's digivices and surrounded their Digimon, giving them the power to reach the next evolution level.

"Veemon digivolve to Exveemon."

"Wormmon digivolve to Stingmon."

"Patamon digivolve to Angemon."

"Hawkmon digivolve to Aquilamon."

Metalphantomon laughed coldly. "You're still no match for me."

"We'll see about that," Exveemon crossed his arms and prepared his attack. "Vee-laser." An orange cross shaped beam emitted from Exveemon's chest and struck Metalphantomon square on his body.

"Blast rings," Aquilamon yelled as he fired purple energy rings from his mouth scored a hit on the opponent.

"Spiking strike," Stingmon flew at the reaper Digimon, using his purple energy spike on his forearm to attack the virus type monster, which flew out of the way of the manoeuvre.

"Lightning Paw," Gatomon jumped to punch Metalphantomon but the cyborg dodged the attack.

"Is that the best you can do?" The demon taunted the Digimon as he flew into the air.

"Hand of Fate," Angemon sent his golden fist of energy in the direction of the metal reaper. The attack scored a direct hit on the virus type's head, sending him spiralling to the ground.

"Now you've made me angry. Soul Predator!" Metalphantomon floated back into to the air and unleashed dark purple energy waves from his scythe. The purple emissions cascaded towards all of the champion level Digimon, knocking them to the ground upon impact.

"It's time to DNA digivolve," Davis screamed his orders to the Digimon.

"Exveemon …"

"Stingmon …"

"… DNA digivolve to Paildramon." The armoured dragon humanoid Digimon formed from it's combining partners.

"Aquilamon …"

"Gatomon …"

"… DNA digivolve to Silphymon." The white and red beast humanoid Digimon flew up into the air after completing the digivolving process.

TK looked over to Angemon, who was picking himself up after being hit by Metalphantomon's attack. "You better digivolve to ultimate too, Angemon."

The angel Digimon nodded. "Angemon digivolve to Magnaangemon."

Now, in the place where Angemon once stood, there was a taller, eight winged angel in nearly all white robes. He wore a purple helmet that covered his eyes, a purple beam shield that covered his left arm and wielded Excalibur, a purple energy sword, on his right wrist.

"Don't think that digivolving will help you. Grave scream," Metalphantomon released a high pitched, ear piercing screech, forcing the Digimon and Digidestined to cover their ears in agony. The attack gradually began draining the energy from the chosen children and their ultimate level partners, slowly sending them to sleep. The reaper Digimon laughed. "You'll never wake up from your nightmares."

"Magna antidote," Magnaangemon pulled his hands away from his ears and placed them in a cross over his chest. A rainbow aurora began form around the angel Digimon before he released it over his friends to protect them from the effects of their opponent's attack.

"How did that not drain your energy?" Metalphantomon questioned angrily as he studied the angel. "My master was right, you are powerful, but I would still rather die by your hands than his."

"Your master? Who is he?" Ken clenched his fists and glared at the cyborg reaper.

The Digimon laughed. "You will soon feel his wrath. Now surrender and come with me so my Lord can exert his revenge on you."

"No chance, get him guys," Davis ordered and the pointed at the Digimon's target.

"Static force," Silphymon formed a ball of red and pink energy in its hands before realising the attack in the direction of Metalphantomon.

Paildramon spun his guns on their attachment to his waist armour and aimed them at the metal skull of the reaper. "Desperado blaster," he roared as he fired the blue energy bullets from both guns.

Both attacks hit the virus Digimon square on his head with such force that he was send spinning, out of control, into a large gravestone. The stone shattered as a cloud of dust lifted into the air. Magnaangemon flew into the air and powered up Excalibur for the final attack. The purple sword's radiance increased as the angel thrust the weapon into the settling cloud of dirt. The Digidestined watched as the weapon descended through the metal skull of the reaper before Metalphantomon shattered into data.

"I don't like the sound of this Dark Lord wanting his revenge," Yolei spoke up, with obvious worry in her voice, as the Digimon powered down to their rookie forms.

"I think we should head back and tell Izzy," Ken stated as the group turned to the TV so they could make their way home.

"I think we should also have Agumon and the others come to our world until this is sorted," Kari suggested. "This Dark Lord might try to go after them too."

"Good idea," TK agreed as Patamon landed on his head. "We'll get Izzy to sort it when we get back."

The others nodded their heads in agreement with the idea before they held up their digivices to the TV. The mysterious white light emitted from the screen and enveloped the Digidestined and Digimon so they could be transported back to Earth.

* * *

Well there's the second chapter. Let me know what you think by clicking the review button below. See ya next time.


	3. The Setting for His Nightmares

**Chapter 3: The Setting for His Nightmares**

Hello everyone. A big thank you to all of you who reviewed the last chapter, I really appreciate it.

I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted thing I mention in this story. If I did I would be more than just an author of Digimon fan fictions. Now on with the fic.

* * *

Izzy, as usual, sat in his bedroom typing away on the keyboards of his yellow and white laptop and his grey desktop computer. The red haired boy kept his room unusually tidy for a teenager. His blue bed covers weren't all over the place, his wardrobe neatly contained all of his clean clothes, the wash basket in the corner contained all the worn items in colour codes and the large bookcase contain books and pc discs, all in alphabetical order and all of them on complicated science or computer programming. The sky blue carpet was kept perfectly clean and the white walls had posters of computers on them instead of the usual rock bands.

A red, six limbed bug Digimon with large green eyes flew into the bedroom through the open door. "Izzy, your Mum is the greatest. When she went to the store today she brought me a whole pack of cakes and some cookies."

"I know, Tentomon, she thinks it is great having you around the house again," Izzy turned to his face his partner. "And I asked her to get you those cookies because you need the energy to digivolve if there is a problem, although you shouldn't eat them all at once."

"I haven't, I'm saving them," Tentomon landed on Izzy's computer desk and looked at the monitors. "You still haven't found the source of those recent disturbances?"

"Nope," the genius shook his head. "There's no sign of a source for those disturbances or the master the Metalphantomon informed the younger Digidestined about."

"I wonder who the Dark Lord is," Tentomon pondered aloud. "The others said he was after revenge for something we did."

"I believe it is safe to theorise it will be a Digimon who we have fought before and they have been reformatted," Izzy hypothesised as he started typing again. "I don't know who though and I don't know how they broke through the protection Oikawa gave the Digital World."

"Maybe they were already there when the protective layer was formed?" the red bug added his theory.

"I'm speculating that is the case because … oh no"

"What is it Izzy?" Tentomon's eyes turned to the laptop.

"There is a large disturbance forming. A large disturbance means a powerful Digimon and look where it is," Izzy swiftly opened his emails. "I better inform the others and tell them to get here quick."

* * *

TK, Cody, Yolei and their Digimon entered Izzy's bedroom, shutting the wooden door behind them. Kari, Ken and Davis were sat with their Digimon around the room waiting for their arrival.

"For once I'm not the last one here," Davis celebrated the rare occurrence. "And it's after 7pm on a Friday, which means I'd normally be playing video games."

"You have a shorter distance to travel," Yolei pointed out in a matter of fact tone.

"What's the problem, Izzy?" Cody asked as he looked at the older, red haired boy.

"There's another disturbance," Izzy brought the window up on his computer screen to illustrate the issue. The younger Digidestined stood up and gathered around the monitor. "This one is quite large which suggests a very powerful evil Digimon is creating it."

"We can deal with it, we're very powerful too," Davis spoke with confidence as a few gasps could be heard from some members of the group.

"I know you can handle this but I want you to be careful and don't …"

"We will be," the goggle head interrupted Izzy with his eagerness to find the source of the disturbance clearly showing. The brown haired boy pointed his blue and white digivice at the computer screen. "Ready guys? Digiport open!"

The familiar white light swallowed up the younger Digidestined and their Digimon to take them to the other world.

"You didn't let me finished," Izzy yelled but it was too late. He sighed as he leaned back into his chair. "TK is not going to like it when he gets there."

* * *

Another randomly placed TV emitted the bright white light as the piece of technology disposed of the Digidestined onto the cold, lifeless rock bed. The group picked themselves and observed their surroundings.

They stood on a plateau at the top of a mountain in a strong, freezing wind which made them shiver as their green and white school uniforms, or purple and black school clothes in Cody's case, flailed around their bodies. The Sun had set and the sky had clouded over, leaving File Island in night time darkness. As the chosen children looked around in the poor light, they could make out several building that resembled Ancient Greek temples made from white marble. The largest stood in the centre of the plateau, dominating the smaller structures to its left. They all consisted of large pillars that surrounding the inner parts of the building and supported triangular prism roofs. Sheer cliff faces surrounded the peak in all directions with the exception of the single path leading up from the mountain's base.

TK's golden blonde head turned to look down to the forest at the base of the treacherous rock face on his left. The teen let out a low growl when he realised where he was. Patamon, who perched on top of his partners head, gulped once he recognised the inhospitable surroundings.

TK's eyes narrowed as images and emotions flashed into his mind from the last time he was here. The spot where the teen's azure orbs were fixed on was where Patamon had first digivolved to Angemon five years ago during their final battle against the original Digidestined's first opponent, Devimon. The image of Angemon as he used all of his energy to defeat Devimon forced itself to the forefront of the blonde's mind. It was the picture of Angemon and the devil Digimon being deleted before his own, teary eyes as he watched helplessly, not knowing if he would ever see his friend again. The events which haunted him in his nightmares replayed over and over again in his mind.

"I hate this place," the blonde spoke in a low tone. His complex emotions towards the situation were made worse by his extra sense. This "sixth" sense was because of his Crest of Hope, which allowed TK to feel presence of evil and darkness.

"Why?" Yolei asked as she turned around to face her friend.

"This place is a place of evil," TK replied in his low note as he felt Kari's familiar, warm left hand being placed on his shoulder. The blonde knew she was aware of the evil too.

"I can sense the evil here too. It feels cold," Ken nodded before he paused to find the correct phrase to describe the feeling. "It feels like death."

"I can feel it too." Worry was clear in Kari's voice as she place her right hand on TK's right arm.

"When was the last time you all had your tetanus jabs?" Veemon joked, trying to raise the mood. The blue and grey dragon noticed it was a bad idea when TK bestowed him with a quick, disapproving glare.

"Where are we?" Davis asked as he took another swift look around.

"The top of Infinity Mountain," TK growled. He heard Kari gasp as her grip of his arm tightened. The blonde could feel her almond eyes fix on him, burning a hold in the side of his head. He knew, without looking into them, they would be full of concern because Kari and Gatomon were the only two people TK had personally told about the events of the battle which occurred on this spot five years ago. The brunette, his best friend, was the person he could confide in when the images of the fight bothered or upset him.

Cody was the only other Digidestined present who knew TK had lost Patamon once before. However, the youngest member of the team didn't know the battle took place at the location which the group currently found themselves at. Both Kari and Cody knew the subject was a very sensitive one for their friend and, like the older Digidestined, tried to avoid it.

"Cool name," Davis replied. He was unaware of the angst caused to his friend just by the name alone. The goggle headed teen turned to face the largest Greek-like building. "Let's find the source of this disturbance and stop it now. I bet it's inside that building."

"Davis, I don't think we should go in there," Kari voiced her concerns.

"Why not?" The brown haired boy turned around and noticed how she was holding onto TK. It was obvious that something was bothering her. "What's the matter?"

The teenage girl gulped. "You can't feel the darkness that surrounds this place."

"On the evil scale, this place is really evil," Wormmon added his opinion.

Ken glanced at his green caterpillar-like Digimon with a concerned expression on his face. Last time his partner used a description similar to that one was before they entered the Dark Whirlpool two years ago when he was the Digimon Emperor. The purple haired boy remembered the events that followed resulted in Wormmon being reconfigured.

Ken looked over to Davis. "I think we should leave here and come back tomorrow when it's light."

"Not you too, Ken," Davis sighed. "I say we take out the Digimon who is causing this, end the problem now and then go home to play on my Playstation."

"That's a bad idea, Davis," Cody shook his head in disapproval.

"Why?" the leader looked around at the members of his gang.

"Because we could be walking into a slaughter house," TK coldly replied.

A few of the others cringed at TK's use of words but all of them nodded in agreement.

Davis sighed in defeat, knowing his plan probably wasn't the best idea he had ever come up with. "Alright then guys, we will head home and sort it tomorrow, which is a Saturday so we have more time to come up with a plan." He raised his digivice and strolled back to the haphazard TV lying on the ground. "Digiport open."

With that command, the Digidestined and Digimon were sucked through the screen by the white light and sent back to Earth.

The light died out leaving the plateau deserted. A black porthole formed in the ground close to where the chosen children had been standing and a tall, winged, menacing figure rose out of it. A cruel, evil laugh from the dark humanoid monster filled the air.

* * *

The computer in Izzy's bedroom spat out the Digidestined into a groaning pile of tangled limbs and bodies.

Izzy, who miraculously managed to evade the others as they arrived, reached out his right hand to TK to help the blonde up. "Are you ok?" The computer whiz asked the blonde haired teen as he pulled him to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm fine thanks," TK smiled weakly at the older boy.

"Are you sure?" Kari asked as she replaced her hand back on her best friend's shoulder.

"Yeah," he replied as turned his head and looked into the brown haired girl's mahogany eyes. The slightly younger boy could tell she didn't believe him. TK sighed as he took a seat on Izzy's bed. Kari joined him, sitting next to him and keeping her arm around his shoulders to let him know she was there for him. The blonde placed his face in his cupped palms.

"What about you Patamon?" Izzy turned to the flying Digimon who had just landed to TK's left. Patamon only nodded yes to the red head before turning his attention to his human partner.

"I could sense a powerful, evil force at the top of that mountain," Ken informed Izzy.

Izzy glanced over to TK before he turned to his computer screen to check on the disturbance. He was surprised when he saw the zone of darkness on the map was disappearing. "The disturbance is decreasing in size."

"What? How?" Ken asked as he joined his friend at the computer.

"I don't know but whatever was causing it has gone now," the red head replied as the disturbance disappeared.

"Does that mean we don't have to go back tomorrow?" Wormmon asked as he walked over.

"I told you we should have found the Digimon causing it and taken him out while we had the chance," complained Davis as he clenched his fists.

Izzy put his hand to his chin, assuming a thinking posture. "I think it would be best if we wait until the disturbance returns before making our next move." The others nodded in agreement.

Cody looked at the clock and sighed. "I better get going, it's getting late and my Mom will wonder where I am."

Ken took Yolei's right hand in his. "We were going to watch a movie tonight."

"And we haven't even had our dinner yet," Yolei pointed out to her boyfriend.

"Pizza?" Ken asked.

"Sure," she smiled before giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

"Veemon and I still have a tournament on FIFA04 to finish," Davis glanced down to his partner.

"Oh yeah!" A huge grin grew across the blue Digimon's face.

"So we better be off too. Let us know if that disturbance thing returns, Iz," Davis turned, waved and headed for the door. "See ya later dudes."

Ken, Yolei, Cody and their Digimon exchanged their goodbyes too as they left Izzy's apartment.

"TK, can I speak to you for a moment?" Izzy asked as the blonde as he stood up to leave as well.

"Sure," he smiled while retaking his seat.

"You might want it to be in private," the red head pointed out believing the conversation was going to be a sensitive one for his friend.

Kari shifted to stand up but stopped when TK placed his hand on her shoulder. "It's ok, they can stay."

"Ok." Izzy sat down on his computer chair. A serious look formed on the genius' face. "I don't want you to jump to conclusions and think this disturbance is caused by Devimon. The disturbance may have been on the top of Infinity Mountain but it could be any of the other Digimon who we have faced in the past after their revenge."

TK sighed as he ran his fingers through his messy blonde hair before resting his chin in his palms. "Devimon's palace was rebuilt. Who would want to rebuild that?"

The red haired boy groaned disapprovingly, asking himself why another Digimon would want to rebuild that temple. "I'm not sure but like I said; let's not jump to conclusions."

"Wasn't Infinity Mountain reformatted into Spiral Mountain by the Dark Masters?" Kari asked with a concerned look in her almond eyes. Izzy nodded yes.

TK sighed and ran his hands through his hair again. "I don't think I'm in Puppetmon's or Piedmon's good books either."

"It could be Machinedramon or Myotismon too," Kari named two of their past foes who she'd lease like to see again.

"It still doesn't explain why Devimon's palace was rebuilt after it was destroyed," Patamon pointed out with a gloomy expression on his face.

"It is entirely plausible that the palace could have been reformed after we defeated the Dark Masters and Spiral Mountain was turned back to Infinity Mountain," hypothesised Izzy. "Also, to be honest, I don't think it's a good idea to continue speculating because we don't have enough evidence and all we are doing is scaring ourselves. It could just as easily be Daemon or any of the other evil Digimon we've faced."

"Izzy is right," Gatomon glance to Kari and TK. "All this speculation is turning us into scaredy cats."

TK sighed again. "It's just being on top of Infinity Mountain again brought back a lot of bad memories." Patamon nodded, understanding his human partner.

Kari used her left arm, which was still around the taller blonde's shoulders, to pull him closer. "It's been a bad day and one we should probably end by going home to get some rest."

"Ok." TK nodded in agreement before they both rose off Izzy's bed.

"Make sure you get a lot of rest in case the disturbance returns tomorrow," Izzy reminded them as they walked to the main door of the Izumi apartment. "We need to be ready to fight."

The younger Digidestined and their Digimon nodded their heads then exchanged goodnights with the red haired boy and Tentomon before leaving the building. The teenagers stepped out of the apartment complex into the warm summer night air and set off on their journey home. The best friends walked down the street lamp lit paths of Odaiba in a comfortable silence where they simply enjoyed each other's company and neither of them, or their Digimon, needed to say a word. However, they soon reached the point for them to go their separate ways.

Kari walked to the corner of the crossroads and stopped, expecting to say her goodbyes to her blonde friend and then head in the direction of her apartment as he walked to his. The brunette became confused when TK's steps took him past her before he turned around to look at her.

"Your home's that way," she giggled and pointed to her right and the direction of the boy's apartment.

"I know," he gave her a bemused glance. "But I thought I would walk you home."

Kari formed a look of mock offence on her face as she gazed up at him. "I'm not a kid anymore. I can take care of myself you know, Takeru." She knew he was looking out for her like he always had done and like any best friend would.

TK smiled knowing the cinnamon haired girl only used his full name when she was teasing him or being extremely serious. "I know you can, Hikari," he replied with her full name as well before taking a more serious tone has he looked down into the shorter girl's sparkling almond eyes. "But Tai would kill me if I let you walk home on your own in the dark."

Kari was about to reply but, as she gazed into the bright cobalt eyes of the golden haired blonde before her, she noticed another reason. They told her that right now he wanted his best friend's company, her company, and she couldn't blame him after the events of the day.

"Ok." The teen girl smiled as she restarted her walk home. "You really don't have to though."

TK smiled back at her as he walked at her side. "I do otherwise you would loose your best friend when your brother catches me and, when he does catch me, you wouldn't be able to find all my body parts."

"She has me with her," Gatomon sounded slightly offended as she pointed the fact out.

"Yeah but imagine the headlines on the news if you had to defend her," the blonde reminded her that people were afraid of any sort of Digimon.

"Crafty kitty kicks Kari's kidnapper's crotch," Patamon laughed as he perched on TK's head.

The others laughed with the hamster like Digimon before the group returned to their comfortable silence for the remainder of the short stroll to the Kamiya apartment. They all sighed, none of them wanting to part ways as they reached the main entrance to apartment complex.

"Thanks for walking me home, TK," Kari turned to her best friend and smiled. She reached her arms out and wrapped them around his back, pulling him in for a hug. The brunette though he needed one after he had accidentally ended up in the place of his nightmares.

TK returned the hug, placing one arm around Kari's shoulders and the other across the small of her back. They tightened the embrace as Patamon flew off his partner's head to join Gatomon. Kari placed her right cheek on TK's left shoulder, allowing the blonde to gently rest his chin on her head. The slightly younger boy noticed how well their bodies fit together in the embrace. It was as if they were perfectly designed for each other. His thoughts about the battle with Devimon five years ago and the events earlier in the day evaporated from his mind to be replaced with thoughts about the chestnut haired girl in his arms. As TK gently took in breathes of air, he could smell her alluring aroma of fresh, spring wild flowers. His heart began to pound in his chest as the hug continued and his true feelings for his best friend forced their way to the forefront of his thoughts.

Kari could feel the warmth from her best friend's body as she held onto him tightly. A feeling of security came over her as normal when the teen girl was in the arms of her best friend. The brunette was hoping she was returning the same feeling to the blonde, hoping it would help him after his bad evening. This train of her thoughts soon moved on with each breath as she inhaled TK's intoxicating scent. Kari felt her heart rate increase too as now she joined the golden haired blonde in thought about their relationship, although they were both oblivious to it.

Time felt as if it had paused for them as the embrace continued far longer than any hug between two people who were "just friends" should last. It was even too long for best friends who were as intimate as they were.

After what felt like ages of just standing in silence, Kari finally spoke up. "I'm glad Tai or the others aren't here to see us," she spoke softly into TK's chest. "If they caught us like this we'd never hear the end of it."

"I know," the blonde replied as he carefully lifted his chin out of her silky chocolate coloured hair. He looked down, his cerulean blue eyes meeting Kari's enchanting almond orbs. "Thanks for taking my mind everything." A sincere smile crossed his face once he finished speaking.

Kari smiled back. "It's no problem. You would have done the same for me."

"I think it's time we should head in," Gatomon spoke up as she lifted her paw from around Patamon's back.

Kari sighed and reluctantly broke the embrace with TK. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'll see ya tomorrow," TK replied, trying to hide his disappointment that the breaking of the hug brought. "Goodnight, sleep well."

"Thanks and the same to you," the brunette opened the door to her apartment building before giving TK one last wave. "Goodnight."

TK waved back before he and Patamon headed for home.

* * *

Ah, another chapter finished. Don't forget to click the review button :)


	4. Best Friends

**Chapter 4: Best Friends**

Hello. I'd like to give another big thanks to all of you who reviewed the last chapter.

I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted material I mention in this story. If I did own it … hmm … I'd be able to put an amusing line in here.

* * *

"MATT!" A golden blonde haired eight year old boy in a green hat, a green top and brown shorts screamed out for his older brother who was lying prone on the ground.

A giant black humanoid monster approached through the forest below, heading towards the trembling young eight year old and the orange and cream flying hamster Digimon next to him. This monster was all black except for a white patch around his fanged mouth, an orange wing symbol on his chest and the brown bandaging down his right arm to his claw. He had horns on the side of his head, a pair of huge, torn black wings protruding from his back and claws that appeared to be capable of shredding skin easily.

"You will be mine." The monster's deep, evil, growling voice scared the child even more.

"Hey, get ready to run," the boy's older brother replied as he tried to pull himself up from the ground. The last blast from the monster in front them had sent them flying into the hard, unforgiving cliff face behind them.

The younger brother and orange Digimon looked away from the older blonde and noticed the outstretched right arm of the devil coming towards them. The flying hamster jumped into the air and prepared to defend his human partner. The little Digimon drew in a large breath before firing the air out in the form of a compressed air bubble at the black monster's hand. The attack appeared to have no effect as the hand continued to move closer to the stranded boy. The hamster tried his air attack again as the hand loomed over him and his friend. The attack still had no effect as the claw's shadow began to cover them.

Tears began to form in the ocean blue eyes of the little Digimon as his frustration and fear of being unable to protect his friend grew.

"Patamon help!" The blonde boy yelled as he began to shield himself from the giant hand above. Tears of fear started to form in his eyes too.

"I'll save you, TK!" Patamon flew into the clasping hand of the black monster. Its claw like fingers wrapped around the tiny Digimon and began squeezing the life out of the poor creature.

"Hang on pal," Matt yelled, watching helplessly as the giant claw grasped TK and Patamon. The demon's fingers slowly closed shut, making the older boy panic as he lost sight of brother.

"WHAT?" The giant black monster screamed as a bright, blinding, white light suddenly began to emit from within his hand. The light burnt the dark Digimon's claw, forcing him to release the captives inside. The released light radiated outwards into the darkened skies around the cold mountain.

"Patamon digivolve to Angemon." A six winged, white angel with a silver helmet and golden staff in his left hand emerged from the light. Several other humans and Digimon who were spread across the area made comments about the Digimon as he floated in the air.

"What's this, another foolish attempt?" The dark Digimon sounded unimpressed by the angel's appearance. He was almost mocking his foe.

"The forces of good are more powerful, even you can't stop us," Angemon spoke in a deep assertive voice. "I'll destroy you and bring peace to the island."

TK watched in awe as his partner Digimon prepared for his attack. The blonde boy noticed his digivice beginning glow before it emitted a white beam of light up to his angel Digimon. The beam was joined by six other beams from the other Digidestined, giving Angemon all their power.

The light forced the dark Digimon to cover his eyes. "That light is so bright. What are you doing to me?" He questioned angrily. "Stop it! I'm not going to let you take my power away. You'll have to fight me."

"I'm afraid I have no other choice," Angemon replied as he spun his staff above his head. "If I can help others my fate is unimportant. Your powers have gotten far out of control and must be extinguished. I am ready to fight for peace."

Suddenly a black hole appeared in the devil Digimon's chest as a green ogre jumped out in the direction of the angel. A golden light began to shine from Angemon's staff, forcing the green monster back into the dark Digimon's body.

"Now you've done it!" The evil Digimon's red eyes glared in anger at his adversary.

TK stared at his Digimon floating in the sky. He watched, frightened and worried about his friend. "Angemon, be careful."

Angemon looked down to his human partner. "I'll get him, relax."

"Come here pretty boy," the devil mocked as he reached to grasp the angel with both hands.

A look of anger crossed Angemon's face as he drew back his right hand for his main attack. A golden aura formed around the angel's fist. "I'll stop you, hand of fate." A pillar of white light emitted from his right hand, straight towards his opponent. The attack dissolved straight through the dark Digimon's chest making him scream out in agony.

TK watched helplessly on his hands and knees, tears pouring down his cheeks as he watched both Digimon start to disintegrate from their feet up. The Digimon were exchanging words but the young boy didn't listen to them while his eyes stared in horror as the lower part of his partner's body turn into data. "Angemon!"

"TK, I'll come back again if you want me to." Angemon assured his partner before turning to see the remaining pieces of the black devil disappear before him.

Tears flowed freely from TK's cobalt eyes as they watched the invisible wave that appeared to be consuming Angemon made its way up to the angel's head and wings before he completely disintegrated into data.

* * *

TK, now thirteen years old, gasp for air as he sat up in bed. It was the middle of the night and his room was almost completely dark apart from the glow from the empty streets outside entering through the gaps in his green curtains. He noticed his blonde hair and body was drenched in a cold sweat caused by the nightmare he just had. The teen boy sighed in relief that it was just a bad dream while he used his green bed covers to wipe the sweat off is face.

"Are you having nightmares again, TK?"

The blonde boy turned to his left and noticed Patamon, who slept next to him, was awake. "Yeah. Sorry if I woke you up."

"I wasn't sleeping well either," the little Digimon looked down at the bed. "I had a nightmare where I couldn't defeat Devimon and I had to watch helplessly as he killed you."

TK placed his left hand on Patamon's orange back. "It's ok Patamon, we're alright."

"What was your nightmare about?"

"Huh?" The blonde looked away from his Digimon and down at his covered feet. "You know the usual one."

"The battle with Devimon five years ago?" Patamon asked, although he already knew the answer.

TK's blonde head merely nodded yes in reply.

Patamon sighed as he looked up at his friend. The emotion scars the teen carried from that battle were obvious to anyone who knew about them, and the tiny Digimon knew everyone of them.

"We better try and get some sleep," TK broke the silence as he lay back down in his bed with the images of their battle with Devimon passing through his mind. "We need to be ready in case there is another disturbance today. We'll need all our energy and that means we can't be tired."

"Yeah," Patamon replied as he lay down next to the blonde and closed his eyes.

"Patamon," TK stared at the ceiling as he spoke in an uncertain, almost quivering voice, which was unusual for the confident young man. "You know I couldn't live with myself if you died again."

The orange Digimon opened his eyes so he could look at his partner. Patamon sighed. "I know but I also know that you know that I couldn't live with myself if you died. I'm supposed to protect you."

TK turned his head to look at his partner. "Patamon we're a team and I need you. If you died again and didn't come back not only would I loose one of my closest friends but I become useless too. It would be the same for you if I died."

The bat-hamster nodded his understanding.

"I know you did what you had to do five years ago," the blonde continued. "And I would have done the same thing if I was in your place, but I still don't think I could handle it again. I would loose a part of me if I lost you forever. The same applies if I lost Matt or," he paused, debating whether he should say the next name. "Or Kari."

"I know TK." Patamon nodded again. "I know how much you care about me, your brother and all of your friends, especially _Kari_." An 'I know what you mean by that' smirk appeared across the Digimon's face as he emphasised the teen girl's name.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The blonde stared back up to the ceiling as images of the chocolate brown haired girl who he had just mentioned began to fill his mind.

Patamon laughed inside his mind. "I'm just saying you and Kari care a lot for each other," he replied, knowing there was something more between the two teens, although both were blind to it. "Now as you said earlier, we better rest because we don't want the best team to be tired when another disturbance appears."

* * *

It was a beautiful sunny Sunday with clear skies and warm summer temperatures. A soft breeze made Kari's white sleeveless shirt, pink skirt and her chocolate brown hair gently sway back and forth. The thirteen year old girl sat on a wooden bench at the entrance to the park, waiting for the arrival of her best friend. As her mahogany eyes scanned the lush green scenery, she noticed the park was unusually quiet for a Sunday afternoon and it was especially quiet considering how good the weather was.

"I hope they slept better last night than they did Friday night," Gatomon spoke up after she noticed the emptiness of the park made it safe for her to do so.

Kari gave the cat Digimon a worried glance. "I don't think so. Once TK starts having nightmares they take a long time to stop, like the nightmares he had throughout our battles with Blackwargreymon. That's why I asked him if he wanted to join me today while I look for a new shirt. Hopefully it will take his mind off things."

Gatomon sighed. "I think your right. They did look very tired yesterday when they came around to your apartment so you and TK could finish the report for the school newspaper."

"I hope for their sake that who or what ever made the disturbance two days ago isn't Devimon." Kari stared down at her small pink handbag that rested on her thighs. "I think we're all worried about it and have old enemies who we don't want to face again. I spoke to Yolei on the phone last night and she said she was worried that it could be someone like Daemon."

"I know, I was sitting next to you at the time, remember?" The white cat Digimon reminded her partner.

"Yeah. Sorry." The brunette apologised as she looked to the entrance of the park. As if on queue, a familiar blonde haired teen boy wearing a green shirt and black denim shorts walked into the park with Patamon.

"Hey Kari, hey Gatomon," greeted TK with a smile as he strolled towards them.

"Heya," Patamon waved his right paw from his usual perch on top of TK's head.

"Hey guys," Kari smiled back. "How are you?" asked the teen girl as she looked into the blonde's sapphire eyes.

"I'm ok thanks and yourself?" he replied, looking back into her almond orbs.

Kari knew her best friend well enough to know when he was lying. She could tell all was not well in his world at the moment from how tired his eyes appeared. The teen girl assumed he hadn't slept well as a result of his nightmares and decided not to push him for answers.

"I'm good thanks." She nearly forgot his question but managed to answer in time so not to raise suspicion. "Shall we head to the shops?"

TK nodded as Patamon jumped off his head to join Gatomon. "Enjoy yourself but make sure you keep out of sight. See ya later guys," he waved to the Digimon who couldn't join them in busy shops because of the risk of them being caught.

"See ya," replied Patamon and Gatomon in unison.

Kari waved goodbye to them before she and TK exited the park to make their way to the shops.

* * *

Patamon and Gatomon perched in an old Oak tree and were deep in conversation. They were hiding amongst its green foliage to avoid being spotted people. The tree itself was in a relatively secluded spot in the park with hedges and other trees surrounding it, which was definitely one of the reasons why various Digidestined often came here with their Digimon.

The Digimon heard leaves of the hedge rustling, making their eyes drift to the source of the noise. The blonde and brunette heads of their Digidestined emerged from the foliage, followed by their bodies and several bags in Kari's hands. This time she had insisted she would carry her own bags. The Digimon left the tree to join their partners as the chosen children sat as the base of the trunk.

"Kari, you're back girl." Gatomon jumped of the old knotted bark of the trunk and landed next to her partner. "Did you buy anything nice?"

The teen girl giggled as she moved a stray strand of her cinnamon hair away from her slightly blushing face. "TK said I looked good in everything I tried on." Kari glanced over to her best friend and giggled again when she saw his cheeks turn tomato red.

The blonde could feel the heat in his cheeks but he was right, all the clothes Kari had tried on made her curves and slim figure look so beautiful him.

"So you brought everything?" Patamon asked innocently to save his partner.

Kari laughed. "No, I don't have the money or wardrobes like Mimi's."

"So what did you get?" Gatomon gazed at the three bags next her.

The brunette reached into the first bag and pulled out a light pink shirt. "I got this shirt, which I really like, and some jeans." She showed the cat the jeans before picking up the final and smallest bag. "And we got you some muffins," finished the teen girl as she pulled two chocolate muffins from the bag and handed them to the Digimon.

"Thanks," they replied in unison before they made light work of eating the food and then returned to their seat up in the tree.

TK placed his elbows on his knees and face in his palms as he let out a loud sigh. Kari could tell his nightmares were still bothering him and now was probably the best time to talk to him about it. The brunette moved onto her knees as she placed her right arm across her friend's shoulder and slid her left hand under his so she was touching his cheek. The brunette turned TK's head so her mahogany eyes could gaze into his brilliant sapphire orbs.

TK stared back into his best friend's sparkling eyes, noticing the concern within them for him. The blonde knew he couldn't hide his current problems from her, unlike his true feelings for her. He sighed again as he clasped his right hand around her soft, slender left one.

The feelings Kari had also hidden from the blonde boy in front of her suddenly surface as a result of the intimacy of the moment. The teen girl's heart rate began to rise as she felt an overwhelming urge to place her lips against the pair only a short distance away from her. Realising quickly where this was going, Kari pulled herself out of that line of thought and back to her original one. Right now TK needed his best friend and he did not need her complicating things in their relationship by kissing him.

"Did you have another nightmare last night?" Her care and concern for him was clear in her voice.

"Yeah," replied TK, there was no point denying it.

"Going back to the place of your nightmares is probably causing it," Kari continued to gaze into the cobalt orbs before her as she spoke. "You were really brave to go there, TK."

"It's more than that, Kari," The blonde shook his head. "I have that feeling where I know something bad is going to happen. You know the one I'm talking about, you get it too."

The brunette sighed. Her friend was right. She sensed the darkness on Infinity Mountain and indeed could feel something bad was going to happen. "You're right, but that doesn't mean it's Devimon."

TK shook his head again before speaking in an exasperated voice. "It is him, I just … I just know it's him, Kari."

"The darkness we sensed and the disturbances could be caused by any evil Digimon," she pointed out.

"They wouldn't want to rebuild Devimon's palace, they would want their own place. Izzy might not agree with me but I just know it is Devimon." Kari could see the worry and fear in the blonde's eyes as he continued. "And I don't think I could take it if I lost anyone to him again, especially Patamon or Matt," he paused as he stared deeper into the beautiful almond spheres before him and gently place his left hand on her soft cheek. "Or you."

"Me?" Kari whispered as her true feelings for her best friend broke loose of their shackles in the depths of her heart and forced their way to the forefront of her mind. She tried to suppress them back again but this time she couldn't. The brunette felt her face heat up and her heart pound in her chest as she realised just how close she was to him. They were mere centimetres away from each other. She could feel his breath on her skin, she could feel the heat from his body and she could smell his intoxicating aroma.

Kari's thoughts about the blonde spread like wildfire in her mind. She found his slim physique so attractive, she loved his messy golden blonde hair, which hadn't changed since they first met, and there were those deep cerulean eyes that she was now lost in. There was more than just TK's looks that attracted her and every other girl in the school to him. She felt safe around him, she trusted him and could be herself around him. He was always there for her when she needed him the most and he was always so kind and caring towards her. The list of reasons she loved TK continued to scroll through her mind almost making her miss what he said next.

"Yes you Kari," he whispered back, "I don't know what I'd do without you." The teen boy's thoughts trailed away from Devimon and towards Kari as he also realised just how close they were. TK's emotions broke loose too, sending him into the same thought pattern as his best friend opposite him. Her sweet scent forced him to think of her slender body with her growing, beautiful curves, her chocolate brown hair and her mahogany eyes, which were always full of light. His mind moved onto her wonderful attitude to everything and how she always brought the best out of him. She was always there to care for and support him when he needed it.

A wide smile formed across Kari's face. "You know I care for you too and without you I'd be lost."

The best friends continued to stare into each other's eyes. They slowly moved closer, closing their eyes and gently tilting the other's head. Doubts like their brothers' reactions, their Digimon's thoughts, their friends' response and how the fan girls might take to this began to evaporate from their minds as the moment both of them had been waiting for was about to happen.

A familiar beeping noise sounded, distracting the teens from their moment. They backed off and re-opened their eyes to see and note the other's disappointment. TK's and Kari's cheeks turned a rose pink as they continued to gaze at each other, trying to gauge the other's expression. Weak smiles formed across their faces as the thought and hope that they might actually feel the same way about each other took other both their minds.

TK was first to break the gazing as he wrapped arms around Kari's shoulders to bring his best friend into a hug. The brunette returned the embrace, pulling their bodies closely together as she rested her head on his shoulder. It wasn't the kiss either of them wanted but it was good enough until the right moment presented itself for one of them to confess their true feelings.

"Guys, your D-Terminals," Patamon interrupted them as he flew out of the tree and landed next to TK.

Gatomon jumped out of the oak tree and landed next to Patamon. "I bet Izzy's found another disturbance."

"Why? How do you know?" Kari asked her partner as she reluctantly broke her embrace with TK.

"Both your D-Terminals went off at the same time," the feline Digimon pointed out while watching Kari reach into her bag.

The brunette pulled out the electronic device and flipped the top of her D-Terminal open to read the message. She gasped and a look of horror formed across her face as the brunette finished reading the urgent message.

* * *

Another chapter finished and with a little cliff hanger at the end that will be answered in the next chapter. Remember to click that review button below


	5. Enter the Devil

**Chapter 5: Enter the devil**

Hello everyone. I'm sorry this chapter has taken a little longer to publish than I originally thought it would have done. I wanted it published by Thursday or Friday but never mind. I've been ill recently and stuck in bed as a result. On top of that I've been having a few personal issues that are still on going. Oh well, enough of my excuses, besides writing has helped take my mind of a few things.

Again, I would like to thank those of you who reviewed the last chapter. They've helped motivate me to get this chapter finished over the weekend now I'm getting back to full health. Anyway, time for the disclaimer …

To Tai's relief, I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted thing mentioned. If I did own Digimon Jun would have a crush on him like she had on Matt. That's a relief for Davis too. I can here him sigh from here.

There is one last thing I would like to say before I start. The events at the start of this chapter occur at the same time as the events at the end of the last chapter and they link together at the end of this chapter. Ok, now on with the story, enjoy.

* * *

Tentomon sat perched on the white window sill, looking through the glass at the beautiful weather. The sky was again cloudless, allowing the Sun to warm and illuminate the streets of Odaiba. The red bug watched the green leaves of the trees gently sway as what appeared to be a cooling breeze passed over them. Tentomon sighed as he glanced over his shoulder to his human partner. Izzy was, as normal, typing away on his computer and laptop keyboards, using them as his tools for researching the Digital World. The teen boy still had not been able to find the source of the most recent disturbance and it was a mystery he was determined to solve.

Tentomon looked back outside. Although he believed Izzy's curiosity and knowledge was one of the boy's best traits, the Digimon believed he still spent way too much time looking at computer monitors as he tried to satisfy his curiosity by gaining more knowledge. The red bug decided the weather was too good for him and his friend to be inside.

"Izzy, are you going to spend all day on your computer?" Tentomon asked, knowing his friend would if he was given the choice.

"I'm looking for the main source of the disturbances. I think we will have a better idea of who we are dealing with if I can find it." The computer genius' dark brown eyes never left his computer screen as he replied.

"But you spent all yesterday looking for it and didn't find anything," the red bug pointed out.

"I know and that's why I'm still working on it today. The others are relying in me to find it so we can stop this problem before it becomes any worse." The teen's eyes still didn't leave the screens.

Tentomon realised he wasn't getting anywhere, so went for a more direct approach. "Izzy, you'll get tired if you work constantly, you need a break. It's such a nice day outside. Please can we go to the park for an hour?"

"I'm fine, Tentomon, and I really need to get this done."

"What happens if you make a mistake because you're tired?"

"I'm fine," Izzy replied in an irritated tone. The teen boy glanced up from his computer and looked at his Digimon. "Why do you want to go outside so much?"

"It's such a nice day and we're stuck inside." Tentomon pointed out of the window. "You could always bring your laptop."

Izzy sat and thought about it. He had been extremely preoccupied with the recent activities in the Digiworld and as a result the genius hadn't been able to spend as much with his Digimon partner as the he wanted. The teen boy smiled at the red bug. "Ok Tentomon, we'll go to the park and find a quiet spot where we can work and keep you out of sight."

The bug Digimon flew across the room and landed on the bed. "Right, let's go."

"Let me just …" Izzy stopped mid-sentence as dark brown eyes fixed on his computer screen. "The disturbance is back at the Peak of Infinity Mountain."

"What? You better tell the others," Tentomon flew over and joined his partner at the computer desk.

Izzy reached for his D-Terminal and began typing a message. "I'm going to email Ken and Davis. They can DNA digivolve to Imperialdramon and a mega Digimon should be able to deal with this."

"Why aren't you going to tell the others?" Tentomon gave him a puzzled look.

The genius turned to face his partner as he sent the email. "Did you see the way TK was acting after last time? It brought back his memories of the battle with Devimon and they clearly affect his mental state. I think we should not tell him about it unless we need him, otherwise he'll probably think Devimon has returned again. I'm not going to tell the others so it won't look like I'm just trying to keep TK from having to go back to Infinity Mountain. That way it won't anger him."

"I think it will still anger him," the red bug replied. "And the others too."

"I'll apologise to them later," Izzy countered as he finished the email. "I've sent the message to Davis and Ken. Hopefully they can get here soon."

* * *

"I'm coming," Izzy yelled as he stood up out of his computer chair and left his room. There was a loud, frantic banging on the main door to the Izumi apartment. The knocking continued as the red head walked down the short hallway to the main entrance. He unlocked the door and opened it to let who ever was on the other side in.

"Sorry we're late, Iz," Davis shouted as he and Veemon burst into the apartment, startling Izzy as they rushed into the older teen's bedroom.

Izzy shook his head in disbelief at how quickly Davis had arrived. It was rare Davis and Veemon were early for anything, let alone first to turn up. Izzy took it as a sign the goggle-head was taking this very seriously and guessed it could only be a good thing.

"Hey Izzy," Ken waved as he and Wormmon sprinted up to the open door.

"Hey Ken," Izzy smiled as he let the younger boy in before closing the door.

"I'm guessing the disturbance is back," Ken hypothesised as he and Izzy walked towards the elder teen's room.

The red haired boy nodded. "It's in the same location as before too."

"Where is everyone?" Davis asked, clearly confused. "I'm never the first here."

"For once you are," Tentomon seemed as surprised as the goggle-head.

"Hell must have frozen over," Veemon looked around the room and rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

"You're the only ones coming," Izzy replied to Davis' earlier question as he shut his bedroom door. The computer genius moved over to his computer, retaking his seat before he began typing away on the keyboard again.

"Huh? Why?" Davis was still confused, something that was shown by the bemused expression etched across his face.

"Because the others are busy," the red haired boy lied. "Although, I thought Yolei would be with you Ken."

"She's working in her parent's convenience store," Ken sighed as he studied the open windows on Izzy's computer monitor to obtain an insight into what was going on in the Digital World.

"So where is everyone else?" Davis continued his enquires as the two geniuses analysed the information on the screen.

"Cody usually has kendo practice on Sundays and TK and Kari have their article for the school newspaper to do, so I decided not to email them," Izzy replied as he realised he was a more convincing liar than he originally thought.

"And if Kari and TK aren't doing their thing for the paper then they'll be doing something else together," Davis pointed out knowing they spend almost all their time together.

"Izzy, don't you think it would be best if we let them know what's going on?" Ken glanced at the older teen next to him.

"I didn't want to bother them, especially if you can't find the source of the disturbance again. If that happens, they would have come here for no reason and wasted time that they could have spent on something else." Izzy turned to look at Ken. "Besides you have a mega Digimon in Imperialdramon so you should be able to handle whatever might turn up. And don't worry, Ken, if something does go wrong Tentomon and I can come and help."

"Right," Davis reached for his digivice, pulling the gadget off his belt and lifting it up to the computer screen. "Lets sort this out now before it becomes a major problem. Are you ready Ken?"

Ken nodded at his DNA digivolving partner before turning back to Izzy. "Is the gate ready?"

"Yep," the older boy brought up the appropriate window on his computer and moved to a safe distance.

"Then let's go," Davis held his digivice up to the screen. "Digiport open!"

The customary white light appeared around Davis, Ken, Veemon and Wormmon before sucking them into the other world.

* * *

A beam of digital light emitted from the TV, delivering Davis, Veemon, Ken and Wormmon to the cold, rocky, bleak surroundings of the plateau at the summit of Infinity Mountain. A strong, harsh wind swept around the Digidestined and their Digimon, making them shiver.

"How can it be so cold up here when the Sun is out?" Davis asked as he looked up to the cloudless, blue sky.

"It's because of the altitude," Ken replied as he looked around for a possible source of the disturbance.

Davis laughed as he wrapped himself in his arms to try and get some warmth back. "Oh yeah, I forgot we were so high up. We were close to sea level when we were back on Earth."

Ken's violet hair swayed as he shook his head and chuckled at his friend's forgetfulness. "Come on Davis, we need to find the source of these disturbances and stop it as soon as possible."

"I bet it's in that big building." Veemon pointed to the largest white marble temple.

"Right, then lets go." Davis began to run in the direction of the ancient Greek-like building.

"Wait!" Ken yelled to his friends. "Let's not rush into this."

"It could be a trap," Wormmon added as Davis and Veemon skidded to a stop on the rough rock surface.

"Good point," Veemon agreed as he and Davis turned around.

"Then we should have our Digimon digivolve now," Davis suggested before reaching for his blue and white digivice that was his attached to his belt.

"But how will get through the door?" Wormmon asked as he looked at the size of the entrance to the great building.

"It's not big enough for Imperialdramon to get through," Ken finished the point for his Digimon partner.

Davis glanced over to the door before he adopted his usual thinking pose by placing his chin in the palm of his hand. "I got it," the goggle-head yelled, making Veemon jump. "Paildramon can get through there and he can digivolve to mega once we're inside."

"You know that might be the best idea you've ever had, Davis," Ken smiled as he and Wormmon walked over to their friends. "Are you ready?"

"Veemon digivolve to Exveemon."

"Wormmon digivolve to Stingmon."

"Exveemon …"

"Stingmon …"

"… DNA digivolve to Paildramon." The form of the familiar green and blue humanoid dragon Digimon formed from the white light of digivolution and stood in the place where Exveemon and Stingmon were just moments ago.

"Right, let's go," Ken motioned and began walking towards to the large wooden doors of the temple.

A black mist started to form behind the unaware Digidestined and their DNA digivolved Digimon. The mist crawled across the floor, getting thicker before slowly forming and opening up into a pitch black porthole. A figure surrounded by darkness gradually rose from the gateway. The dark being began to laugh in cruel, sinister tone.

Davis, Ken and Paildramon quickly spun around on the spot, scared and startled. Their eyes set upon the humanoid creature behind them. The demon's blood red torn wings with spiked tips allowed it to hover in the air. The colour of the creature's exposed skin on its arms and chest was the same grey as a dead bodies. Its right shoulder and neck was covered in black leather and there was a trail of red circles starting on the Digimon's left shoulder and ending on his abdomen. The evil monster's long forearms were strapped in red bands that also cover all of its claws. The claws themselves possessed metallic coverings which looked like they were easily capable of slashing and piercing skin. Three blood red spikes, which also looked capable of causing serious injuries, protruded from the demon's upper forearms.

The black porthole below the dark Digimon closed allowing the creature to land. The creature's black leather boots made no sound as they came into contact with the rocky ground. Its long, gangling legs, which were covered by trousers made from black leather belts and metallic knee pads, cushioned the being's landing in a way that suggested it was a proficient flyer.

The Digimon's eyes, although not visible, gazed through the top silver spheres of the two rows on a golden mask that covered the devil's whole of its face. The mask covered the monster's mouth, nose and the front of its devil-like horns that protruded out from the side of its grey haired head.

"You're not the Digidestined I was expecting," The evil Digimon spoke in a low, cruel voice.

"Who are you?" Davis demanded as he clenched his fist. "Are you the one responsible for the recent attacks and disturbances in the Digiworld?"

The Digimon only response was a deep, evil laugh as he continued to stare at the Digidestined.

"There's something familiar about him that I don't like," Ken announced as a mixed expression of concern and fear crossed his face. "I think you should digivolve, Paildramon."

"Right," the DNA Digimon responded, "Paildramon digivolve to Imperialdramon. Imperialdramon mode changed to Imperialdramon fighter mode." A large humanoid Digimon with large red wings, a blue tail and black and golden armour formed in the light of digivolution and stood in the palace where Paildramon was a second ago.

"Now, tell us who you are?" Imperialdramon demanded. "And tell us why you have been attacking the Digital World."

The devil Digimon laughed again. "I see why you were able to kill all my servants so easily, but your power is still no match for mine."

"We shall see." Imperialdramon raised right arm and pointed the cannon attached to it in the direction of his opponent. "Positron laser!"

A beam of purple and light blue spiralling positronic energy cascaded out of the wrist-mounted cannon and straight in the direction of the demon Digimon.

With one flap of its blood red wings, the demon took off into the air to avoid the attack. "It that the best you've got?" He taunted the mega level Digmon as the purple and blue helix beam caused an explosion as it hit the ground where the monster once stood.

"No, I'm just getting started," Imperialdramon replied before jumping into the air to chase after the winged devil. "Positron laser."

"My turn," the evil creature laughed as he dodged the attack and watched it spiral off harmlessly into the sky. He turned to face the mega Digimon. "Stun claw."

The Digimon formed a dark, ghost-like cloud around its right claw before thrust it towards Imperialdramon. The dark energy took the shaped of the demon's claw before scoring a direct hit on its target. Imperialdramon's body went limp and began to fall out of the sky. The mega Digimon landed with a sickening thud and remained motionless on the ground.

"Guilty claw!" The devil dived out of the sky with its right claw extended out in front and aimed at his prone opponent. The metallic claw penetrated through the armour of Imperialdramon, allowing dark energy to enter the stunned mega Digimon.

"Veemon!" Davis screamed as he watched Imperialdramon turn back into Veemon and Wormmon.

The devil Digimon turned and faced the humans. "I'm only letting you live for one reason and that is so you can take a message to my nemesis."

"What?" Davis asked, confused by the evil Digimon's motives.

"Who is your nemesis?" Ken questioned with a look of horror still etched across his face from seeing the last attack.

"Tell the Digidestined of Hope and his pathetic angel Digimon that I'm back and I want my revenge!" The monster spoke in a deep, sadistic voice. "And just to make sure he gets the idea, Deep Sorrow!"

"Ken!" Davis screamed as red beams emitted from the six silver spheres on the Digimon's mask sped straight for the violet haired teen. The goggle-headed teen sprinted towards his friend to save him but was forced to watch in horror as the beams scored a hit on their target.

Ken dropped to his knees as he gasped and closed his eyes. The teenage boy's body then fell limp and motionless on the ground as Davis arrived by his side.

Davis dropped to his knees as he placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Wake up Ken. WAKE UP!" He screamed as he shook the other boy's prone body. Tears flowed freely down Davis' face as he turned to the creature who had just committed this crime. "YOU KILLED HIM! YOU BASTARD! YOU KILLED HIM!"

The demon Digimon let out another evil, heartless laugh. "He's not dead, well … not yet. I've trapped him in his nightmares. Now deliver my message to the Digidestined of Hope and I will see you soon."

The black mist, which formed the gateway earlier, began to creep around the demon Digimon. He started to slowly sink down into the porthole before completely disappearing, leaving Davis with his friends lying unconscious on cold rocky ground of Infinity Mountain.

Davis grabbed Ken's wrist to check for a pulse to see if the monster was correct. The teen boy let out a huge sigh of relief as he felt the blood still pumping through is friend's veins. He wiped the tears of his face before pulling out his D-Terminal to get help.

* * *

Ken, Veemon and Wormmon lay unconscious on Izzy's bed with Izzy, Davis and Tentomon watching over them. Beads of sweat rolled down Ken's forehand as expressions of pain and horror formed on his face. Izzy had sent messages to the rest of the Digidestined to get their help and they were on their way. Yolei had left work halfway through her shift and had met up with Cody, who had left his Kendo practice early. They were both being driven over by Cody's mother. TK and Kari were sprinting to Izzy's apartment from the park after receiving the email. Several of the older Digidestined were also on their way.

"Ken!" Yolei screamed as she burst into the room and ran straight to her boyfriend. The purple haired girl knelt down beside him and placed her head and hands on his chest. "What happened?" She asked as tears started to flow out of her eyes.

"The Digimon who was causing all the disturbances attacked him and put him in a constant nightmare." The venom in Davis' voice was clear for all to hear. "And I couldn't do anything about it," he finished by punching the wall next to him.

"It's not your fault, Davis." Cody, who had followed Yolei into Izzy's bedroom, placed a hand on the older boy's shoulder.

"When will he wake up?" Yolei sniffled as she looked towards Izzy, expecting him to have an answer.

"I don't know," the older Digidestined boy sighed. "I've emailed Gennai to see if he can help and I'm still waiting for his reply."

"How long will that take?" Hawkmon asked as he placed a comforting wing on Yolei's shoulder.

"I'm not sure. It depends on how busy Gennai is," Izzy's concern was clear in his voice as he stared at an empty spot on his carpet.

"What happened?" TK panted as he ran through the door, followed by Kari, Patamon and Gatomon.

"Ken was attack by an evil Digimon looking for you, TK!" Davis spat as he turned around and glared at the blonde boy who had just entered the room.

"Oh no!" Kari gasped as she placed her hand over her mouth.

"What did he do?" TK demanded in a stern, low voice.

"He said that he was your nemesis and he wanted to get his revenge on you before he put some kind of a spell on Ken that put him into a constant nightmare," Davis punched the wall again.

"Have you tried waking him?" Patamon asked as he hovered over Ken, studying the teen's body for injuries.

"Yeah, we even poured water on him and he still won't wake up," Tentomon pointed over to an empty bucket.

"I have an idea," TK spoke as he held his green and white digivice up. "Maybe it's like his touch of evil attack or the dark gears that he used on Leomon when last we fought him."

"Fought who?" Yolei asked in between sobs as she glanced over to the blonde teen.

"My nemesis," the blonde boy replied before placing a hand on Yolei's back. "Yolei, please could you move so I can try something?" He asked in a much softer voice than the one he'd being using.

Yolei nodded before moved back and wiping her tears away. TK knelt over Ken's prone body and placed his digivice over the teen boy's heart. Everyone watched as a ray of white light left the device and entered Ken's body.

Ken gasped for air as his eyes flew open and he sat up on the bed. The violet haired boy glanced around, trying to workout where he was until Yolei wrapped her arms around him and forced him back onto the bed.

"Ken! I'm so glad you're ok," A wide smile formed across Yolei's face before she repeatedly kissed his lips.

Patamon and TK walked unnoticed to Izzy's computer, which still had the gate to the Digiworld up on the screen. "Are you ready?" TK asked his partner.

"Yep, let's get him," Patamon replied in an unusually low, stern, vengeful voice.

"We're going to the Digital World to sort this out," TK informed the others in a cold, venomous tone. "Don't follow me. What ever you do, do not follow me." TK held up his green and white digivice to the monitor, activating the light that began to take him to the Digital World.

"TK!" The others screamed as they turned around and watched TK and Patamon being sucked into the monitor and transported into the Digital realm.

"He'll kill you!" Davis yelled but was too late to stop him.

* * *

Sorry for another cliff hanger guys but I needed one to set up the next chapter. I'm not sure when I'll be able to update next because of the personal issues I mentioned earlier. I'll try to keep to my regular updates but if I don't manage it then I apologise in advance.

Please click the review button below and let me know what you think :D


	6. Stalemate

**Chapter 6: Stalemate**

Hello everybody. Sorry about how long it has taken for me to update. It has taken me a week longer than normal because of the reasons I mentioned in the last chapter. I've sorted out some of the problems so hopefully I can go back to my normal updating schedule. Anyway, enough of my blabbering and on with the disclaimer.

I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted thing I mention in this story. If I did own Digimon I'd have made the ending of season 2 much more believable. Having said that, is any of Digimon really believable?

I would like to thank all of you who reviewed the last chapter before I continue. Thanks guys :D

Sorry for the cliff hanger last time but I needed it to set up this chapter … so this picks up from where the last chapter finished.

* * *

"TK!" The others screamed as they turned to the computer and watched TK and Patamon being sucked into the monitor and transported into the Digital realm.

"He'll kill you!" Davis yelled but was too late to stop him.

"We have to stop him," Ken tried to stand up but was pinned back to the bed by Yolei, who was determined to make sure her boyfriend wasn't attacked for the second time that day.

"I'll get him back," Davis growled as he pulled out his D3 and marched over to Izzy's computer.

"Don't Davis," Kari warned her friend as she moved to block the goggle-head's path.

"What? Why?" A look of shock and surprise spread across Davis' face. He couldn't believe that Kari, TK's best friend, was stopping him from saving the blonde teen. His astonishment grew when he stared into Kari's eyes and noticed the stern glare she was giving him. She looked as if she was actually willing to use force to stop him.

"What did this Digimon look like?" Kari demanded, not taking her eyes off Davis.

"He looked like Devimon but different, like he had digivolved," Ken replied as Yolei finally let him sit up on the bed.

Kari took note of the gasps from Izzy, Tentomon, Cody and Armadillomon as she turned to the computer monitor behind her. The teen girl placed her hands on the desk and stared at the screen in deep thought. She sighed and turned back around to face the others. "We'll give TK twenty minutes and then, if he's not back, Cody, Izzy and I will go and get him."

"What? TK won't last two minutes against this Digimon!" Davis shouted in disbelief and he clenched his fists so tight that his nails began to dig into his palms.

"Davis, trust me, the last thing TK will want is all of us chasing after him right now," Cody joined Kari next to the computer to ensure Davis would not get by.

"And don't underestimate TK and Patamon. They were an equal match for Blackwargreymon and easily beat Piedmon, who was the strongest Dark Master," Kari added, more to reassure herself of her own decision than to convince Davis.

"They'll be able to look after themselves," Gatomon added in a noticeably more confident tone than the others.

"Kari's right," Izzy stopped Davis before the goggle-head could reply. "If this Digimon is Devimon then TK might by the only person who can stop him."

"I can't believe you're letting him do this!" Davis growled as he sat on the floor in defeat. The brown haired boy punched the ground out of his frustration and anger at the whole situation.

* * *

The white light of the digital gate opened, allowing TK to set foot onto the cold and rocky surface of Infinity Mountain. A harsh, bitter wind slammed into his body, ruffling his clothes and sending shivers up his spine. The blonde teen instantly felt the darkness that surrounded the peak and quickly looked around to ensure he wasn't already under attack.

After making sure the area was safe, he turned to face Patamon who was hovering to his left. TK noted the rookie Digimon was glancing around nervously too. "You better digivolve to ultimate, Patamon."

"Right," Patamon nodded as he few up off into the air. A white beam of light emitted from TK's digivice and encapsulated the Digimon's body. "Patamon digivolve to Angemon. Angemon digivolve to Magnaangemon."

The eight winged angel took form as the divine light from his digivolution faded away. The angel Digimon instantly activated his purple energy sword which was attached to his right wrist to make sure he could defend himself or TK if any hostile Digimon were to attack.

"Come on Devimon, show yourself!" TK shouted his challenge in the direction of the largest marble temple.

A black mist rose from the floor in the space between the Digidestined of Hope and the Greek building. A cruel, sadistic laugh emanated across the plateau of Infinity Mountain. It was the laugh that haunted TK's nightmares, the laugh of the monster that killed Angemon all those years ago, the laugh of his nemesis. TK's sapphire eyes narrowed as he watched the winged humanoid devil rise from the mist and stand before him and Magnaangemon.

"Ah, Digidestined of Hope," the devil started in a twisted sinister voice. "Prophecies about us are spread throughout the Digital World. They talk about battles that would make Leomon's and Orgemon's battles look pathetic. But in the end they always say you will be the one who destroys me."

"And I WILL destroy you this time without anyone loosing their life," TK interrupted in a low, vengeful tone. The blonde stared venomously at the mask of his nemesis, clenching his fists as he did so.

"That is where you and the prophecies are wrong. I am more powerful than ever. I may only be an ultimate Digimon but I am so powerful that I could have killed your friend's mega Digimon effortlessly." The evil creature let out another evil laugh. A laugh so twisted that it suggested he would derive pleasure from killing Imperialdramon in a sadistic, torturous way. It was something that didn't surprise TK. "I am Neodevimon."

"It doesn't matter what your name is or how powerful you think you are, we will still defeat you," Magnaangemon positioned his beam sword into an attacking position.

Neodevimon snorted arrogantly. "I've been graining energy, obtaining dark power from an entrance to the Dark World. I believed your friend who decided to play Emperor called it the Dark Whirlpool. He was pathetic, thinking he could control the powers of darkness. He took only took a tiny amount of my power and look what happened to him. He suffered the same fate as you did several years ago and it will be the same fate you will suffer again."

"No chance," TK growled as his rage built up inside of him. He gritted his teeth before spitting his reply. "I will NEVER let that happen again."

Neodevimon laughed at TK. "I've been watching you both and your friends from the Dark Whirlpool since that day, biding my time and waiting to regain my place as ruler of this world. And most importantly I have nothing to loose. So, even if we are evenly matched, like in our previous battle, I can find other ways to hurt you. I will make you suffer as I force you to watch me kill your friends one by one." The demon gestured a squishing movement with his metallic claws. "And I will save an especially painful death for your brother, your Digimon partner and your precious Digidestined of Light."

TK's eyes widened as Neodevimon's words hit a soft spot. "If you even dare touch them, you will fell a wrath like none you or this world has ever felt or seen before." The teen boy's eyes narrowed again. "It will make what ever you have planned for them seem pleasant."

Neodevimon remind silent, as if he was surprised to hear such venomous words aimed at him. He appeared to be taken aback.

"What's wrong? Are you frightened of us?" TK taunted in a confident tone as a smirk formed on his face.

"Never!" Neodevimon screamed and clenched his fists in anger. "I will kill all of your friends and make you watch as I do so. I will make you watch as I torture your brother until he begs me to kill him and then the Child of Light. I've saved a special torture for her considering how much you like her."

TK didn't falter as he locked his feelings for Kari into his heart. He knew that if he let Neodevimon get even a hint of his true feelings for her then Kari would become his main target.

"And then, once I've finished with her," the evil Digimon continued. "I will subject you to more pain than you can ever imagine."

TK's smirk grew as he placed his right hand on his hip. The teen boy took the same pose he used to taunt the Digimon Emperor with two years ago. His facial expression and body language changed to one that almost dared Neodevimon to attack. "Why don't you try and do that now or are you scared?"

"Why would I be scared of you? You are weak." Neodevimon snapped back.

"I'm not weak. We've beaten mega Digimon too, including Piedmon, the strongest of the Dark Masters," TK responded in a matter of fact tone. "I know you're frightened."

"I AM NOT FRIGHTENED OF YOU!" Neodevimon roared as he drew his right claw backwards. "GUILTY CLAW!"

The red and black devil thrust his claw forwards and lunged for TK. Magnaangemon reacted and flew towards Neodevimon with his purple beam sword aimed at the demon. Neodevimon, now realising that he was being attacked, drew his claw back and flew to a safe distance. Magnaangemon landed between his foe and his partner.

The black mist returned, rising around Neodevimon and surrounding his body. The virus type Digimon was completely encased before he began to descend into the dark gate to escape the battlefield.

"Don't run you coward," TK yelled in a mixture of anger and frustration as he watched his nemesis start to sink down into the dark mist.

"I'll be back for you and your friends soon," Neodevimon threatened before his head disappeared into the dark porthole that closed after him.

* * *

"How long has it been?" Davis demanded to know as he looked up to Kari from a point on Izzy's floor.

The brunette girl was perched on Izzy's computer chair, staring at the monitor and waiting for TK to return. She glanced across to Davis. "Only five minutes." Her agitation was clear in her voice as she turned to face the screen again.

"Will some please explain to me why we are letting TK do this by himself?" Yolei asked the group. The teen girl, who still had her arms wrapped around Ken, received a wall of silence as she looked across to Kari, Cody and Izzy for an answer.

"I guess it must be something very personal," Ken spoke up when no one else did. "It would explain why he was so …" the teen paused as he thought of the right word. "So intense when we got into that fight when I was the Digimon Emperor."

"What do you mean?" Davis asked as everyone's eyes fixed on Ken.

"Well, as you know, when I was the Digimon Emperor I went to the Dark Whirlpool to try and capture a Digimon with a dark power to make Kimeramon," Ken began his story. "The dark Digimon I found was Devimon. TK must have seen him when he and Cody broke into my base."

Cody nodded. "Although, I personally didn't see Devimon, I'm guessing TK did and that was when he stormed off looking for you."

"When he found me I originally didn't think anything of it. I thought he couldn't touch me and I would put him back in his place. But, when he started to out smart me, I got angry and used my whip on him," Ken spoke in a remorseful tone. He noted the gasps some of the others in the room when he mention the whip.

"You whipped TK?" A brown-orange haired teenage girl asked as she stood in the doorway. She was wearing a blue tank top and a short, white skirt. She was older than the others in the room and was holding the right hand of a blonde boy of a similar age.

"Yeah, he did when Ken was the Emperor and he got into a fight with TK," the blonde teen told his girlfriend. This blonde boy resembled TK except for the colder blue of his eyes and different hairstyle. Standing to his left was Kari's older brother, Tai. With them were a pink bird Digimon, a blue and yellow, six limbed, dog-like Digimon and a red lizard like Digimon.

Ken nodded. "I whipped him but the scary thing was he didn't flinch. He didn't even blink. That's how intense he was and I was so scared when he charged at me. I thought he was going to rip my head off."

"Speaking of my brother," the blonde teen asked as he glanced around the room. A concerned expression spread across his face as he looked at the younger Digidestined. "Where is he?"

"Matt, don't get angry," Kari held her hands up in front her face in a defensive posture. "TK's in the Digital World."

"WHAT?" Matt shouted his reply. He could not believe his friends had let his younger brother into the Digital World when an evil Digimon was on the war path and none of them were trying to save him.

"Calm down, Matt," Tai placed his hand on Matt's shoulder to hold him back. He knew his friend could be very hot headed at times like this.

The blonde shook his friend's hand off and marched over to Kari. His anger was perfectly written across his face. "You let him go into the Digital World on his own?"

Kari stood up and stared up into the sky blue eyes of her older friend. She was not going to back down. "Yes, he didn't want us to follow him," she told him sternly.

"TK would never let you do that, so why did you let him?" Matt questioned her as Tai stepped between them.

"I know TK wouldn't let me do that but he wanted to do this alone," Kari replied before taking a glance back at the clock on the computer. "He's got twelve more minutes before I'm going to fetch him myself whether he likes it or not."

"Calm down, Matt," his girlfriend joined Tai standing between the two friends.

"I can't calm down, Sora. TK's in the Digiworld with some evil Digimon who has no problem attacking humans," Matt clenched his fists in frustration.

"Matt," Izzy tried to get the older boy's attention. "The evil Digimon is Devimon."

"D … D … Devimon?" Matt's eyes shot open as he repeated Izzy's words in disbelief.

"How is Devimon back?" The blue dog-like Digimon asked with his concern clearly dominating his tone.

"We don't know, Gabumon," Izzy sighed as he looked at an empty spot on the floor. He always hated not having the answers.

Suddenly the computer monitor lit up with the bright light of the digital gate as it opened. Kari, Matt and the others stepped back, giving the white light enough space to place TK and Patamon on the carpet of Izzy's bedroom.

"TK! Patamon!" Several of the occupants of the room yelled as their friends reappeared.

"Are you ok?" Kari asked in a panicky tone as she inspected his body for injuries while Gatomon did the same to Patamon.

"I'm fine," TK replied in a monotone voice, giving the brunette a weak smile as he turned to faced her.

"I nearly got him," Patamon growled in frustration. "But he ran away."

Matt grabbed TK by his shoulders and began shaking his younger brother. "What were you thinking, going off to face Devimon on your own? He could have killed you!"

"To stop him before he could hurt anyone," the younger brother replied in a blunt tone. TK's eyes narrowed as he stared directly into his brother's eyes. "And we nearly got him before he chickened out."

"Will someone please explain to me what's going on?" Davis asked in a mixture of frustration and confusion at the day's events.

TK pushed Matt's hands off his shoulders before he sat down on the carpet. He sighed as he realised he was going to have to explain at least some of the story to his friends. "Devimon is my nemesis and now he's back and more powerful than ever. He's digivolved to Neodevimon, which is his ultimate form."

"But why is he your nemesis?" Hawkmon wanted to know more details of the story.

TK sighed again as he put his head in his palms. Kari sat down next to her best friend and placed her arm around his shoulders to let him know she was there to support him. The blonde boy looked up at the others as he thought over his reply.

"Maybe we should leave this for another day," Tai suggested, knowing the emotional stress his friend was under.

"It's ok, Tai. They have the right to know what's going on," TK took a deep breath. "Devimon was our first opponent in our original adventure in the Digital World. He was trying to take over the Digiworld, like all the evil Digimon want to, and he found a prophecy saying Patamon and I would kill him. After he found that, I became Devimon's main target and he wanted me dead. In the end Angemon defeated Devimon and because of that he wants his revenge." The Digidestined of Hope deliberately missed out the part where Angemon had to sacrifice himself to defeat Devimon because he didn't feel like sharing such potentially harmful information in his current mind set.

"So he wanted you dead all because of a prophecy?" Davis asked bluntly.

"Yes," Matt replied for his brother. "And, Devimon would have killed TK if Patamon hadn't digivolved." He sighed and paused for a moment. "I remember seeing Devimon's claw close around TK and I couldn't do anything about it. But, as always, TK and Patamon had a way of saving themselves, everyone and everything when all hope had appeared to have run out."

Matt was about to continue but was interrupted by TK. "Guys, I don't want you going to the Digital World while Neodevimon is out there. Please leave this to me and Patamon."

Everyone's eyes fixed on the blonde teen. "Why?" Davis maintained his record of being first to ask questions.

"Because he'll target you," TK replied. "Neodevimon had no problem with targeting Ken earlier and next time he'll use a more aggressive attack. He'll try and pick you all off one by one."

"But there's strength in numbers," Tai pointed out. He thought TK and Patamon fighting alone might be a bad idea as he knew they would risk their lives to make sure everyone was safe.

"If Magnaangemon is the only one who can stop him then it makes sense if only Patamon and I fight him." TK looked up at Tai as he tried to reason with him. "Also, if even one life is lost then we'll have lost. I have a plan too, it worked earlier it will work again."

Everyone remained silent as TK, and the rest of the group, looked at Tai, waiting for their leader's answer. He ran his hand through his messy brown hair as he thought over his reply.

"Ok TK, I'll do my best to stop everyone going to the Digital World while Neodevimon is on the loose." Tai lifted his right hand and raised his index finger. "But remember one thing; your life counts as a life lost, even if you defeat Neodevimon."

A few of the Digidestined and Digimon present made a few murmurs of disagreement but nobody spoke out in opposition of Tai's decision.

"I'll let the other Digidestined know that the Digiworld isn't safe and they shouldn't go until we've sorted things out," Izzy pulled out his D-Terminal as he spoke.

"Thanks guys," TK smiled weakly as he stood up. "I think I better be off now, it's been a tough day and I need some rest. I'll see you all tomorrow."

"Get as rest much as you can, TK," Izzy joined in the good byes and good nights from the group. "I'll see you in the morning and we can perfect you plan."

TK and Patamon left the room with one last good bye wave. Matt began to follow him but Kari grabbed his arm.

"Please Matt, let me have a word with him," she whispered to the older boy.

Matt glanced back at the younger of the Kamiya siblings and sighed. "Ok, I'll probably end up getting into an argument or fight with him anyway."

"Thanks," Kari smiled as she and Gatomon left the room, put her shoes on and ran after TK.

The brunette ran out of Izzy's apartment complex into the cool evening air. Normally she would enjoy the sunset on a summer's evening like this but right now she needed to catch up to her best friend. She let out a huge sigh of relief as she saw the blonde walking further up the street. If he had decided to run home then she would have never caught up with him.

"TK!" Kari yelled as she and Gatomon ran to catch up to the teen boy and his Digimon.

TK stopped and turned around with a weak smile on his face while Patamon landed next to Gatomon on the grey stone pavement. Kari didn't say anything as she placed her left hand on the back of her friend's blonde head and placed his head on her shoulder. She then placed her right arm around his back, pulling him into a hug as she placed her head on his shoulder so their heads were next to each other. The brunette felt TK's arms wrap around her as he accepted the hug.

They stayed in their embrace for what felt like several minutes until Kari broke the silence. "Please don't do that again," the teen girl whispered. "I nearly had ten heart attacks when you when into the Digital World. If I did that I know you'd come after me straightway but I stopped the others from doing that, like you wanted. I care about you so much TK and I don't know what I'd do without you, so please don't do that again."

"I'm sorry," TK whispered his reply. "I should have thought about it."

"TK, promise me something." Kari tightened her grip around the blonde. "Promise me you won't get yourself kill."

TK placed his left hand on the back of Kari's head and ran his hand through her silky chocolate brown hair. "I promise you that I will not get myself kill while I have something to live for."

"Thanks TK."

* * *

Well there it is, another chapter completed and with no cliff hanger this time. Please click the review button below and let me know what you think :D

I'll answer a question before it gets asked by those of you wondering why Neodevimon and Magnaangemon are evenly matched but Neodevimon can beat a mega in Imperialdramon. I'll still answer it even if you're not thinking that. The reason why that is the case, beyond me needing it for the plot of the fic, is because of several battles from the anime. The first and most obvious is the battle between Devimon and Angemon in the first season where they both died. They were evenly matched there so it is logical to assume their ultimate forms would be evenly matched too. The next battle is Blackwargreymon verse Wargreymon and Imperialdramon in season two. It took both Wargreymon and Imperialdramon to beat Blackwargreymon, who was an even match for Magnaangemon when the two faced off. From that it can be assumed that Magnaangemon and, therefore his evil equal, Neodevimon are more powerful than either Wargreymon or Imperialdramon. I thought I would say that now before anyone wonders why that is the case.

I'll try and update to my usual schedule but it all depends on what happens over the next couple of weeks. It is a really busy time for me and I apologise in advance if I don't update as quickly as you guys would like. Again, please don't forget to review :D


	7. Emotions

**Chapter 7: Emotions**

Hello people of the World. Wow, I've already passed 25 reviews (I'm currently on 28 as I write this) and I'm only on chapter seven. I never expected to have so many reviews so early on. So here is an extra big thank you to those of you who have reviewed so far. THANK YOU!

And now the disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything else that might be copyrighted in this fanfic. If I did I would have given Gomamon his own stand up comedy show, or at least his own sitcom. Although, Joe thinks that's a bad idea.

There is one final author's note I'd like to make before I start this chapter. It is to clear up a little confusion that might occur. Basically, I'm form England so I refer to soccer as football. I did a bit of research on whether the Japanese refer to soccer as soccer or football. It appears they call it football too, so I'm going to continue to refer to soccer as football. Right, on with the story.

* * *

The Monday morning sunlight shone brightly through Kari's bedroom window. The rays of light reflected off the peach orange walls and wooden laminated floor, adding to the room's usual warmth.

Kari unhooked her green school blouse off its hanger as she gazed into the mirror on the wardrobe door. The brunette thought over the events of yesterday as she slipped her arms down the sleeves of the garment.

"I'll bet TK wouldn't have slept well last night," Kari sighed as she pulled down the hem of her blouse, hiding her flat stomach and the pink bra that contained her developing and already ample sized breasts.

"It wouldn't surprise me," Gatomon replied as the cat Digimon stretched her front paws out across Kari's pink bed sheets.

Kari reached into her wardrobe and pulled out a green pleated skirt. "We both get nightmares when there are dark Digimon around but his are going to be so much worse considering the evil Digimon we're facing is his nemesis and worst nightmare." The brunette teen spoke in a concerned voice as placed her long, smooth legs in her skirt and pulled the item of clothing up over her curvy buttocks to the top of her hips.

"I know how he feels," Gatomon sympathised as she sprinted from the bed to the wooden dressing table. "I can't describe how I felt when Myotismon returned."

Kari followed her feline Digimon over to the dressing table and began to check her makeup and hair. "He gets extremely emotional about it and, to be honest, I can't blame him. I know I'd be devastated if I lost you or anyone else I cared about."

A silence fell over the room as Kari's mind began to think about what she would do if she actually lost someone. The teen girl's thoughts quickly ended up focusing on a certain blonde boy. She sighed as she pulled her red hair clip out and picked up her hair brush. "Imagine if TK had died anytime during our adventures."

"Huh?" Gatomon looked up at her partner with a puzzled expression. "What do you mean?"

"I know I'd be dead if it wasn't for TK," Kari began as she stared at herself in the mirror. "Piedmon, the Dark Ocean or something else would have killed me if he wasn't here." The brunette's mahogany eyes moved from her reflection to the photos which lined her mirror. She scanned from photograph to photograph, noting just how many of them contained her messy blonde haired best friend. "I guess you could say he's my hero, along with you of course." Kari glanced down to Gatomon and smiled before she began to brush her chocolate brown hair.

"Kari, I know how important he is to you," the white cat Digimon replied as she watched Kari replace her red hair clip back into position on the left hand side of her almond hair.

"I owe him my life, the least I can do is support him through his battle with Neodevimon." Kari set her brush down on the table before picking up her pink school bag. "We better get going. I said I'd met TK on the way to school this morning."

* * *

Kari lent against a grey stone wall as the cool summer morning breeze gently swayed her silky chocolate brown hair. Her mahogany eyes were fixed on a point further down the unusually quiet and empty streets of Odaiba as she waited for TK. She had asked him to meet her an hour before school started so she could make sure he was ok.

A smile grew across Kari's face as she saw the familiar tall, blonde teenage boy and his cream and orange Digimon partner walk round the corner and into her sight. She took in her best friend's appearance. It was obvious TK had not slept well because his hair was even more of a mess than normal and his usually smart school uniform was untidy and uneven.

"Morning Kari," TK was first to speak as he walked up to the brunette waiting for him. "How are you?"

"Good morning TK. I'm good thanks," she replied in a cheerful manner as she looked into his sapphire eyes. Kari noticed the tiredness and stress etched across her best friend's face. She placed her left hand on the back of his head and right arm around his back to pull him into a hug. "How are you? I'm guessing you didn't sleep well last night."

TK gladly accepted the embrace from his best friend as he thought about his answer. There was no point lying to her because the teen boy knew Kari could read him like a book. He also knew she was worried about him because he knew her just as well as she knew him. "I'm alright, although I couldn't sleep."

Kari placed TK's blonde head on her left shoulder as she rested her head against his. "Did you have any nightmares?" She asked even though she already knew the answer.

"Yeah," TK sighed. "And you can guess who they were about."

"It'll be ok," Kari pulled TK closer to her body so their bodies pressed against each other's, closer than even best friends should be. "You can beat him, I believe in you."

"Thanks," the blonde spoke into the teen girl's shoulder as he realised he could feel the heat from her body.

Both Digidestined stood locked in their cuddle for over five minutes, enjoying the embrace and the close proximity of their bodies. They could feel each other's breaths on their necks, making their skin ache for actual body contact.

TK felt all his worries about Neodevimon float away as his true feelings for Kari fought their way to the forefront of his mind. He could smell the sweet strawberry scent from her hair as he moved his head so he could rest his chin on the top of her head. TK placed his left hand on the back of his best friend's head and pulled her body so they were flush against each other. The blonde boy felt Kari's grip tighten as he fought his urge to kiss the girl in his arms.

The two Digidestined blocked out the rest of the world as they stood on the same spot on the pavement and thought about their hidden feelings for each other. Another five minutes passed before the voices of a group of senior year students brought them back into the world. They reluctantly broke their embrace and slowly pulled apart.

TK felt the heat rise to his cheeks as he realised how long he and Kari were in that hug for. The blonde teen glanced down to best friend's face noticed the rosy pink tint on her cheeks. He watched as Kari's hand moved up to his blonde hair. TK felt his face heat up even more as Kari's smooth, gentle hands flattened and neatened his chaotic morning hair. The brunette then trailed her hands down his cheeks and then his neck, leaving a trail of burning, aching, longing skin in their path. Kari gave his white shirt a tug as she smartened up his collar before placing her hand on his blue tie to straighten it. TK glanced into Kari's mahogany eyes and noticed stray strands of hair across her face. He realised they must have fallen out of her hair clip when he rested his chin on her head.

It was Kari's turn to feel the burning and aching as TK's fingers brush across her face. She felt his right hand remove her ruby red hair clip and his left hand collect her hair as it fell across her face. Kari's heart rate rose through the roof as she felt TK's left hand gently collect and move her silky almond brown hair back into place. She watched the blonde replace her hair clip back into place perfectly. Kari felt her cheeks burn up as TK's soft hand traced down her face and cup her left cheek. Every bit of the teen girl's body begged for her blonde best friend standing in front of her to kiss her lips. The longing only became stronger when her auburn eyes met TK's sapphire blue orbs. They stared into each other's eyes waiting for the other to make a move for what felt like ages.

Kari felt her heart drop as TK slowly and reluctantly moved his hand away from her face. Both Digidestined teenagers stood silently on the spot, trying to recover from their disappointment at their inability to move on to the next step in their relationship.

"I can't believe I let a boy do my hair for me," Kari broke the silence with a laugh as her left hand touched her hair. "And I can't believe you got it perfect too." She giggled as she watched TK's face turn tomato red. "You could have a career as a hairdresser."

TK's trademark grin began to grow across his face as the heat in his cheeks died down. "Well, with the way you straightened up my uniform, someone might think you wanted to be a school teacher."

They both laughed out loud as they began their walk to school and the start of the day's classes.

* * *

Davis kicked the white Nike football over the lush grass field to Ken, who stopped the ball dead with one perfect touch. Both Digidestined boys decided to play football to pass the time left in their lunch break. Ken passed ball back across the short distance between himself and his friend, showing no ill affects from the attack on him yesterday.

Davis stopped the ball before looking up into the still cloudless sky to collect his thoughts. "I never knew TK had a nemesis," the goggle-head thought aloud while sitting down on the dry ground.

Ken walked over to his friend and took a seat next to him on the grass. "I guess it's one of those things he isn't comfortable talking about. Matt did say Devimon nearly killed him."

"But I still thought he would have told us," Davis glanced over to Ken. "It makes me wonder how many more times they've come close to death. It's like the original Digidestined aren't telling us everything."

"Why would they want to tell us everything? Why would they want to tell us if they nearly died?" The violet haired boy questioned as he saw the logic of the original Digidestined. "There could be personal things they want to keep a secret or they might not want to tell us something because it would scare us."

"I guess so." Davis clenched his fist in a show of determination. "But we can defeat anyone at anytime when we're all together. I'm going to tell the others to meet in the computer lab after school and then we can go and fight Neodevimon. I can't sit around and do nothing while the Digiworld is in danger." The teen boy pulled out his D-Terminal and started to type his message.

"I'm not sure TK's going to like that," Ken glanced over to Davis with concern etched across his face.

* * *

TK and Kari sat together behind their wooden desk at the back of the classroom, taking notes from the blackboard. The best friends had spent the entire day together since their intimate moment in the morning. The only time they weren't together was for trips to the bathroom. They both felt fortunate that they shared the same classes as each other, which allowed them to spend so much time together. They were usually the top classes for all their subjects too because both were two of the top students in the school, along with Ken.

Kari heard TK sigh, making her worry about her best friend take over her thoughts again. The brunette quietly tore a piece of paper from her notebook and wrote a message to the blonde boy.

"_What's wrong?_" She scribbled before sliding the note across the desk.

TK watched Kari place the piece of paper in front of him. He quickly read it before writing his reply.

"_This lesson is dragging on_." He answered and passed the paper back.

"_There's only 5 minutes left_. _Then we can meet the others in the computer lab_." Kari quickly wrote back.

"_Davis probably has come up with one of his award winning ideas where we all rush in and fight Neodevimon. Does he ever listen to me? I don't want us all rushing in because one of us could get killed._"

"_We'll stop him from doing something like that as normal._"

"_I'll have to explain to him why we can just rush in. Why can't he just leave this to me?_" TK wrote his reply and passed the paper back to the brunette next to him, whose hand gently brushed against his. The teen boy suddenly felt his skin tingle where Kari's hand had just touched him. Then he realised he had not moved his hand off the paper and Kari's hand was still on his. Both teens glanced up at each other's faces, their cheeks turning a rosy colour again as their eyes made contact.

The school bell rang, bringing the Digidestined of Hope and Light out of their self induced trance. They quickly pulled their hands away and looked around the classroom, hoping nobody had seen the prolonged contact between them.

Kari breathed a long sigh of relief when she realised no one had seen what had just transpired. The brunette then remembered why her hand was where it was in the first place. She glanced down at the paper and read TK's reply as she packed her notebook and pencil case into her pink bag.

Kari placed the piece of paper into her school bag as she stood up and turned to TK. "Davis can't leave it to you because he always likes to be the focal point of everything. He means well though."

TK sighed. "I know he means well but I'll have to make him understand what will happen if he fights Neodevimon. Now let's get to the computer lab so I can explain it to him and stop him from doing something Davis-like."

* * *

Izzy sat on a varnished wooden chair as he typed away on his laptop in the empty computer lab of Odaiba Junior High. He sat in a shaded area of the room so the summer sunlight didn't obscure his screen while he worked on his theories about the dark disturbance caused by Neodevimon.

Davis slid the door to the lab open and burst into the room. The first thing the teenage boy did after closing the door was open his red gym bag.

"When was the last time you washed your gym socks?" Veemon asked his partner as the blue dragon climbed out the bag and gasped for air.

"Sorry dude," Davis replied as he looked around the computer lab. "Izzy, where is everyone?"

"Not here yet," replied the older teen, not looking up from his laptop while he continued to work.

"What?" Davis yelled and clenched his fists. "The Digiworld is in danger and they've not turned up yet? What the hell are they doing?"

"Calm down, Davis," Izzy glanced over at the goggle-head. "They'll be here, although I don't think they'll be rushing. We're not going to the Digital World unless TK says so."

"The Digiworld is in danger and we need to save it," Davis reiterated his point as he walked over to Izzy. "Or at least come up with a plan or something."

A serious look formed on Izzy's face as he stared at Davis. "This is very, very personal for TK and if he doesn't want us to go then we will not be going. Also, I wouldn't go around stick your nose in his business when it's about Neodevimon. You know what he did to Ken and let's just say he wasn't too happy with Matt when Matt said something about it to Cody."

Davis opened his mouth to reply but was cut off when the door opened.

"Are we going to the Digiworld today?" Yolei asked as she and Ken entered the room, closing the wooden sliding door behind them. The couple's fingers were entwined, with Ken's right hand clasping Yolei's left.

"Did TK change his mind?" Wormmon added as he escaped from his hiding place in Ken's school bag.

Izzy shook his head. "No he hasn't …"

"The Digiworld is in danger and we need to do something," Davis interrupted the computer genius. "I think that if we are all together then we can defeat Neodevimon."

"Davis, I'm not so sure this is a good idea." A worried expression formed across Ken's face as he listened to his best friend's plan. "Don't forget that TK is the most experienced out of all of us, so there must be a good reason why he doesn't want us all going to the Digital World."

"And Neodevimon is apparently TK's nemesis, which means he probably knows him better than anyone else," Yolei added as she assumed a thinking pose by placing her spare hand on her chin. "Also, rushing in without a plan like last time might get us all killed."

"Ken got lucky when you faced Neodevimon." Everyone's heads turned to the doorway where TK now stood with Kari behind him. "The only reason Neodevimon didn't kill you was to send a message to me."

"And what message would that be?" Davis asked bluntly.

"He can kill any of you at anytime," TK replied in a low tone that showed a hint of anger and frustration. "And that is what he'll do too."

"But with all of us together we can defeat him," Davis clenched his right fist and thrust it into the air in a victory pose. "He won't stand a chance."

TK shook his head. "He'll pick you all off one by one with his touch of evil attack. Neodevimon can get any of you with it at any point in the battle because all he needs to do to use that attack is to put his claw into the ground. Then his claw will come out of the ground under you and crush you before any of us can do anything about it."

"TK's right," Izzy added his opinion as he thought over what his younger friend was saying. "It is what he did to Leomon in our previous battles."

"What is stopping him from doing that to you, TK?" Ken asked with a hint of worry in his voice as gave his friend a concerned look.

"Because he wants me alive," the blonde boy replied in a blunt, matter of fact tone.

"Why?" Yolei asked in a worried manner. Her facial expressions showed she didn't like what the teen boy was suggesting.

TK sighed out of frustration as he ran his hands through his blonde hair. The teen boy didn't want to share the reason but he knew if he didn't tell them it would cause more problems than it would solve. "Neodevimon wants me alive so he can make me suffer by forcing me to watch him kill you all off one by one. That's why I don't want you all going to the Digital World because if we loose even one person then we loose the battle. So please don't go." TK's emotional state began to show in the tone of his voice as he finished his last sentence.

A silence fell over the room as everyone thought over TK's words and what happened to Ken when Neodevimon used his deep sorrow attack on the violet haired boy. All of them worked out that it could have been so much worse.

"Don't worry, I have a plan," TK broke the silence in a more confident voice. "Neodevimon is more hot headed than Davis after loosing a football match. I can get him so angry that he looses his concentration and he'll try to attack out of blind rage. When Neodevimon does that he leaves himself open to attack and that's when Magnaangemon can get him."

"I'm not so sure I like the sound of that," Izzy gave his younger friend a stern gaze. "It sounds as if you're using yourself as bait."

"It will work, Izzy," TK locked his eyes onto the dark brown eyes of teen genius. "We were so close to getting Neodevimon last time before he ran away."

"I still say my plan where all of us attack Neodevimon at once is better," Davis spoke in his usual confident manner. "And it won't involve anyone being bait."

"Davis, please stop it," Kari interrupted. "Let TK try his plan."

"You actually want Neodevimon to kill TK?" Davis questioned her in a somewhat surprised voice. He started at the brunette girl with his shock clearly showing in his eyes.

"No, I don't want Neodevimon to kill TK." Anger crept into Kari's tone as her voice rose. "And, if Neodevimon was going to kill TK at the first chance he got, then why didn't Neodevimon kill him yesterday? So, TK facing him alone is better than us being picked off at random without warning."

Davis huffed and thought about Kari's point before folded his arms in defeat. The goggle-headed teen tilted his head to his right and focused on the light blue floor. "I guess you're right. I'll let TK try his plan. If you change your mind, TK, and decide you want help then all you need to do is ask and I'll be there."

"Thanks Davis," TK smiled somewhat appreciatively towards his friend. "I'll keep that in mind."

"There is one other thing," Davis glanced up to TK with a serious expression on his face. "TK, you must let us know when you are going to do this so we can be ready to save you if something goes wrong."

"I will," TK nodded in agreement. "Although, I hope you won't have to come and rescue me."

"I think that's one of your best ideas ever, Davis," Kari glanced over to her friend with a raised eyebrow.

Izzy sighed. He still was concerned about his friends' safety and the risks they were taking. "When are you going to implement your plan?"

"When Patamon and I are ready," TK replied as he glanced over to his Digimon partner who was hovering near his head.

"When will that be?" Veemon asked as he wanted to know so he could be ready too.

"Not today." TK ran his left hand through his blonde hair. "I'll let you know when. It will probably be later this week. I just need to think a few more things through."

"There's no need to rush," Ken smiled a reassuring smile. "If you rush into it and you're not ready then you will end up getting hurt."

"Take all the time you need," Wormmon finished for his partner.

"Right, now that's sorted, can we do something together this evening?" Yolei turned to face Ken as she placed her arm around his back and pulled her boyfriend closer into her body.

A smile grew across Ken's face as he looked into his girlfriend's eyes. "Ok. We'll see you guys tomorrow."

After exchanging their good byes, Ken and Yolei left the computer room, with their Digimon hidden in their school bags, for an unplanned night together. Davis, TK, Kari and their Digimon left soon after, leaving Izzy to work on his laptop alone and in peace.

* * *

TK and Kari, with Patamon and Gatomon hidden in their school bags, strolled down the sidewalk of a busy Odaiba street in a comfortable silence. Davis had left them once they reached his apartment. This allowed TK to walk Kari home like he did most evenings after school. The two Digidestined remained in their silence as they thought over recent events. They were in such deep thought that they didn't notice just how close they were to each other as they walked.

TK's train of thought about his inevitable battle with Neodevimon suddenly froze in his mind as he felt the soft skin of Kari's hand brush against his. The tingling, burning sensation from their brief contact earlier in the day returned, making him yearn to hold the soft hand that had just brushed against his. Kari's hand brushed over the blonde teen's hand again and again, making his arm ache with the need to hold her. TK suddenly realised he had subconsciously acted and caught the beautiful brunette's left index finger with his right finger. He was about to let go when Kari's finger gently hooked around his sending his thoughts about her spiralling out of control.

They continued to walk down the street towards Kari's apartment, enjoying the contact between them. Kari tilted her head and glanced over at TK. She could feel the heat raise into her cheeks as she held her best friend's finger. The brunette could feel the rest of his hand glide over hers making her desperately want to increase the amount of contact between them. She then noticed TK's head tilt in her direction, allowing their eyes to make contact. Kari noticed the pink tint of TK's cheeks and realised he was feeling the same way about this moment as she was. Smiles began to grow across both of their faces from the hope that they might actually be about to move their relationship beyond friendship.

Kari felt her shoe suddenly catch on a loose paving slab causing her to loose her footing and fall towards the ground. She felt TK's grip on her hand tighten and his left arm catch her as she fell into his chest. The teen girl noticed the heat and blood flood to her cheeks as she felt so stupid for tripping over in front of the boy she had the biggest crush on in all of two worlds. She realised it was actually in all of four, or even more, worlds as she thought about it.

"Kari!" A muffled yell came from Gatomon as she kicked the books off that slid onto her inside Kari's backpack.

"Are you ok?" TK asked as he helped her back to her feet.

"Yeah, thanks," Kari glanced up at TK. Her face was still bright red from the embracement. "Sorry Gatomon."

"I think Patamon and Gatomon can come out of our bags now," TK said as Kari let him lead her over to a familiar corner.

Kari glanced around and realised they'd managed to reach her apartment complex without her even noticing. She felt Gatomon escape her school bag and watched the cat Digimon join Patamon on the top of the grey wall which she and TK were stood next to.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Kari heard TK ask as he pulled her into their usual parting hug.

The brunette girl nodded her reply as she rested her head against his shoulder. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just feel a bit silly, that's all."

"We all trip over things from time to time. Davis does it all the time," TK responded as he placed his left arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer in.

"I'm not Davis," Kari answered in mock annoyance, making them both laugh. After their laugher died down, she felt TK's chin rest against her head and his grip on her tighten. She heard him sigh and, due to how close the two friends were, she knew something was wrong.

"What's the matter?" Kari asked in her usual soft, caring tone.

"Nothing," he replied hesitantly.

"You can't hide things from me, TK," the brunette responded bluntly as she tightened her grip.

TK sighed again. "It's something Neodevimon said. He said … he said that he was going to target you and Matt. He said he was going to …" The blonde teen's voice began to quiver. "If he got his hands on you … that he would force me to watch as he tortured you."

Kari gasped and drew her head back in surprise. Her mahogany orbs locked onto TK's sapphire eyes, instantly noticing the pain he was trying to hide. "He won't ever do that to me," she replied in a stern voice. "I will not let that happen and I know you wouldn't let it happen either. Neodevimon is playing mind games with you, TK."

"I know but …"

"It will never happen," Kari interrupted TK's reply. "As long as you're alive, I know it will never happen." The teen girl placed her left hand on the back of TK's head and pulled him back into their embrace. She placed her mouth next to his ear to whisper to him. "You saved me from Piedmon, the Dark Ocean and you're always there when I need you. You're my hero, TK. That's why it will never happen."

* * *

A bit of a Takari heavy chapter there with several fluffy moments for all of you. It was kind of a long chapter too.

I have one last author's note before I end this chapter. It is about Davis and the way he acted. I feel Davis is the type of person who can't sit back and watch an evil Digimon take over the Digital World, as we know from season two. So, Davis will be trying to get this over with as quickly as possible and wants to be involved in everything to make sure that happens. He also doesn't know about TK loosing Angemon to Devimon because TK has never told him. I feel if Davis knew about that then he would let TK fight Neodevimon alone and would not be as forceful with his ideas. I thought I had better put that in to explain why Davis called the meeting and acted like he did when he first arrived at the computer lab.

Please let me know what you think by clicking the button below and leaving a review =D


	8. Close Shave

**Chapter 8: Close Shave**

Hello everyone. I'll start by thanking all of you who reviewed the last chapter again. Cheers guys!

Right, the disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything else copyrighted that I mention in this story. I would be rich if I did.

* * *

Davis sat in his English class staring at the blackboard as the teacher translated yet another sentence from Japanese into English. He leant over to Ken so he could whisper into his best friend's ear. "Dude, I hate Wednesdays. When the hell is this going to end?"

Ken glanced at the goggle-head sitting to his left. "Ten more minutes, but it's really not that boring."

"Yes it is," Davis replied while he rolled his eyes. "I can already speak English thanks to you, Mimi and our other Digidestined friends around the world."

Ken shook his head. The genius had been helping Davis with his school work since the beginning of their friendship and it was paying off for Davis. With Ken's help the goggle-head's understanding of various subjects, especially languages, had increased more than anyone had expected. In fact it had helped him enter the top class for their English language lessons, putting him with Ken, TK and Kari.

TK and Kari sat behind Davis and Ken, taking notes off the board. Their body language suggested they wanted this lesson to be over as quickly as Davis did. Both of them were taking regular glances at the clock above the blackboard as they waited for the bell to signal the end of the lesson and school for that day.

TK noticed Davis anxiously tapping his pen on his notebook. "You'd think I would be the nervous one," the blonde boy lent to his right and whispered in Kari's ear.

Kari looked back at TK and gave him a weak smile. Her concern and apprehension was etched across her face too, making her feelings about the impending battle clear.

TK instantly noticed his best friend's feelings and clasped her left hand with his right. "Don't worry, Patamon and I will be fine and all of this will be over by this time tomorrow," the teen boy reassured her and gave her one of his trademark hope filled grins.

"I know you can do it but that doesn't stop me from worrying about you," she sighed. Kari was about to continue but a note addressed to TK landed on their desk. The folded piece of paper had come from two girls sat at the desk to her right. The first of the girls was a tanned, slim girl with waist length sandy brown hair and bronze eyes. To her right sat a slightly shorter, lighter skinned girl with shoulder length black hair and jade green eyes. TK slid his hand off Kari's and began to unfold the note so he could read it. It was a letter from them both asking TK if he would like to go on a date with either of them.

Kari sighed again. "Every week," she said under her breath so only TK could hear her. She watched her blonde best friend write his reply to the girls.

"_Hey Meg, hey Sayu. I'm not interested in dating anyone at the moment. I'm busy with my friends, basketball and a few other things. Sorry to disappoint you. From TK_."

Kari handed the note back to the other girls before turning back to TK. "They never stop, do they?" She whispered.

"Nope," TK shook his head before smirking. "But at least it's taking your mind of things."

The brunette Digidestined smiled back. "I'm still thinking of you though," she replied in a mocking tone.

Suddenly the bell rung throughout the school to signal the end of the school day, instantly forcing the thoughts of what was about to happen back into the front of Kari's mind. It was all she could think about again as she and the rest of the class started to pack away their notebooks and pencil cases into their bags.

"Are you sure you don't want to go on a date, TK?" Kari heard the girl with long sandy brown hair ask her best friend. Kari wasn't usually the type to get jealous about anything but she just couldn't help it when it involved her true feelings for TK. She found herself hoping, silently begging him to say no. It was something she put down to the amount of times they had nearly kissed recently.

"I'm sure, Megumi. I'm just too busy to date anyone at the moment." Kari felt a wave of relief spread through her body when she heard TK's reply. She then noticed Sayuri's jade eyes fall on her.

"Hikari, how can you sit next to TK all the time and not find him so attractive?" Sayuri asked making Kari attempt to hide her reddening cheeks as a blush spread across her face.

"Excuse me ladies," Davis interrupted, at the perfect moment for once, and place both his palms down on Kari and TK's desk. "We've got some business to take care of."

"Um … ok," was all Megumi and Sayuri could say as they gave the goggle-head a puzzled look and took that as their hint to leave.

Davis watched them head out of the classroom before turning back to his friends. "Are you ready, dudes?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," TK replied in a confident manner as he stood up. "Let's go."

The four Digidestined slung their backpacks over their shoulders and sprinted off to the computer lab. Davis led the way as the teens weaved their way through the crowds of green uniformed students in the corridors. They ducked into the lab, closing the door behind them and, to their relief, found the room void of other students.

"Wow, we even beat Izzy," Davis said as he walked over to Izzy's favourite computer in the far corner of the lab and pressed the power button. The lights lit up and the fans spun as the computer booted up.

TK walked over to the window on the far side of the room and fully opened it. Patamon, Hawkmon and Tentomon flew through the open window to join the Digidestined. Gatomon was next to enter through the second floor window by running along a branch of a near by tree and jumping into the room. The feline Digimon was followed by Wormmon, who used his silk thread to pull himself and Veemon up to and through the new entrance to the computer lab.

"You guys better keep yourselves hidden until the school is emptier," Ken suggested to the Digimon. "Somebody could walk in at anytime and see you as you are at the moment."

The Digimon did as they were told and found themselves a few places to hide like under desks and on top of the bookshelves at the back of the room. The Digidestined decided to pull up chairs and sat around the computer as they waited for Yolei and Izzy to arrive.

A nervous silence fell over the room like the calm before a storm. The Digidestined took occasional glances in TK's direction as he focused on the floor between his feet. The blonde boy noticed his friends but didn't do anything except note the concern on his comrades' faces. He saw the same nervous and worried look from earlier had returned to Kari's face as he glanced between each of his friends.

"Don't worry guys, I'll be fine," TK reassured them. "And Patamon and I will beat Neodevimon, if he doesn't run off again."

"Yeah, you'll kick his ass dude." Davis clenched his fists as he took his friend's words positively.

Davis' confidence in him brought a smile to TK's face but did little to lighten the mood of the others. TK took Kari's right hand and looked straight into her mahogany brown eyes after noticing her expression hadn't changed.

"I promise that I will be back," the blonde boy tried to alleviate his best friend's concern for him.

Kari gave him a weak smile as she stared back into his azure eyes. She then turned to fully face him and took both his hands in hers. "I know you will be back. I know you'll be able to defeat Neodevimon, but that still doesn't stop me worrying about you. You know that you'd feel the same way if it was me going instead of you."

"I know," TK replied as he wrapped his hands around the brunette's and gently squeezed them. "I'll try to finish it quickly so you don't have to worry as much."

"What a sweet couple," Davis teased as he watched the two friends. He saw it as a way to lighten the mood in the room. The teen boy felt had to do it, even though he knew it was probably not the best time, because the atmosphere was getting to him. He hated waiting.

"DAVIS!" Everyone yelled his name to make him stop. TK and Kari quickly released each other's hands. Both of them had suddenly found the floor very, very interesting as they tried to hide the deep red blushes spreading across their faces.

"Now is not the best time, Davis," Ken stated as he looked disapprovingly towards the goggle-headed boy.

"Actually, I think it is," a huge mischievous grin formed across Davis' face as he spoke. "We all need something to take our minds of things while we wait and it was the perfect thing."

Ken placed his face into the palm of his right hand and shook his head. "Couldn't you have tried one of Veemon's or Gomamon's knock-knock jokes instead?"

TK glanced over to Davis and laughed as he remembered the giant crush his friend once had on Kari. "I can't believe you out of all the people in the world said that, Davis."

"Said what?" Yolei asked as she entered the room and closed the door behind her. The purple haired girl surveyed the room as she waited for an answer.

Kari and TK were about to reply but were beaten to it by Davis. "TK and Kari are dating."

"Really?" A look of scepticism formed on Yolei's face. She doubted they would become a couple just before a battle, even though she wanted them to be together.

"No we're not!" Kari and TK yelled out together in protest as they shifted uncomfortably on their chairs.

"You're blushing," Davis said bluntly as he pointed at their bright red cheeks.

"Isn't it you who has a crush on Kari, Davis?" TK tried to come back.

"Yeah, but she's too busy drooling over you to notice me," the goggle-head laughed as everyone placed their heads in the palm of their hands. In Kari's case she did it to hide how red her face had become from the embarrassment caused by her friend's words. She noted a lot of truth is often said in jest.

"I think we should change the subject," Yolei suggested as she walked over to the others. The young woman bent down to Ken, giving him a quick kiss on his lips before pulling up a chair and sitting between her boyfriend and Davis.

"Good idea," Ken agreed as he took Yolei's right hand and entwined his fingers with hers.

"Ok then," Davis glanced around the room. "Where is Izzy? He's always working in here."

"He's going to meet Tai, Matt and Sora," Yolei informed the others. "So they can sneak Agumon, Gabumon and Biyomon into the school."

"I'd like to see the look on the teachers' faces if they came across Agumon," Davis laughed as the image of all the teachers running and hiding from the lizard Digimon entered his mind. "Tai would never have detention ever again."

"That isn't as greater idea as you think," Ken sighed. "They'd probably call the police and have Agumon taken away."

"Can you imagine the things the government might do to a Digimon if they managed to catch one?" Kari thought aloud in a concerned voice.

"I try to not think about it," Ken replied as he thought what they might do if Wormmon was captured.

"They'd probably lock us up too if they ever found out about our Digimon," TK added. "We would be blamed for all the destruction over the years."

"That wasn't our fault," Davis felt like he had to protest their innocence.

"Do you think the police will see it that way?" TK glanced over to his friend.

"I guess not," Davis sighed as he looked back at TK.

"Is everyone ready?" Tai asked as he slid the door the computer lab open, allowing himself, Matt, Sora, Izzy and their Digimon to enter.

"As ready as I'll ever be," TK replied the same answer to that question again as he stood up and walked over to the computer. Izzy took a seat at the computer the group had already turned on and started to prepare it for the blonde boy to go to the Digital World.

"Where are Joe and Cody?" Davis asked as he thought about the missing members of the team.

"They're on their way," Matt answered as he closed the door to give the Digidestined their needed privacy.

Izzy began typing away on the computer keyboard and got the software ready so the porthole could be opened. "The gate will be ready in a minute."

Matt placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Remember, TK, call us if Neodevimon has reinforcements or just come back."

"Matt's right," Tai spoke in his calm leadership voice. "Remember what you said; if even one life is lost then we will have lost. That includes your life, TK."

"I know." TK glanced from the leader of the Digidestined to the computer screen then to Patamon, who landed on his head. "Are you ready?"

"Let me at him," Patamon replied as he formed a fist with his right paw.

"The gate is ready," Izzy informed them as he finished typing on the keyboard and moved back to a safe distance.

Kari stood up, attracting TK's attention. "Be careful," the brunette's concern and anxiety was clear in her voice.

TK gazed into her eyes and gave her a reassuring smile. "I intend to keep my promise. I will be back."

The blonde watched Kari gave him a single nod and a weak smile before he turned back to the computer. TK unclipped his green and white digivice from his belt and held the gadget up to the monitor. "Digiport open."

* * *

A bright light emitted from the TV and placed TK and Patamon on the cold rock of the Plateau of Infinity Mountain. The whole peak was surrounded by clouds, making it impossible to see down to the forest at the base of the cliffs that surrounded the mountain. The moisture in the air and strong wind added to the chill of the altitude, making TK and Patamon shiver.

"Patamon, digivolve!" TK ordered as he held his digivice out in his right hand.

Patamon jumped off his partner's head and into the golden digivolution light that emitted from TK's green and white D3. "Patamon digivolve to Angemon. Angemon digivolve to Magnaangemon." The eight winged angel Digimon known as Magnaangemon emerged from the digivolution light ready for battle with his nemesis.

As if on cue, a black mist porthole formed in the floor and Neodevimon rose out of the dark tendrils that almost flowed across the jagged rock surface of Infinity Mountain. The dark gateway closed under the evil masked demon as he floated in the air some distance from Magnaangemon.

Neodevimon let out a deep sinister laugh which echoed across the plateau. "I knew you would be back but I'm surprised you haven't brought your friends with you."

"I'm not letting you touch them," TK replied in a low, venomous voice. His sapphire eyes narrowed and fixed onto where Neodevimon's eyes were hidden under his mask.

The demon laughed again. "What's the matter? Afraid I'll hurt them? You don't want to watch them die one by one?" TK and Magnaangemon's eyes remained fixed on their nemesis as he spoke. Neodevimon paused, expecting more of a response. "You should have brought them because you will need their help if you hope to defeat me," the devil Digimon continued. "Not bringing your friends with you will be your downfall because I've brought mine."

The dark mist that had transported Neodevimon to the battlefield began to reform behind the evil creature, except this time the porthole was much larger and spread across half the plateau. Over one hundred figures started to form and rise out from the rolling dark fog, giving Neodevimon an army at his command. Once all the Digimon exited the gateway, the dark mist disappeared as if it was never there.

TK surveyed Neodevimon's forces as they stood before him ready for battle. The teenage boy recognised all the different types of Digimon, which gave him some confidence for the forth coming fight.

TK noticed the most common Digimon were Bakemon, a ghost Digimon that resembled a torn white cloth with pure black eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth. Amongst the Bakemon were Vilemon. These grey winged Digimon possessed sharp forearm claws and an ugly face that had teeth pointing out almost horizontally from their large mouths. There were four Devidramon that stood either side of Neodevimon, each with their four red demonic eyes focused on Magnaangemon as they prepared to attack. The final two Digimon TK could see were Phantomon. They were much smaller than the Metalphantomon the Digidestined had fought previously at the Overdell. These Phantomon had a plain grey cloth covering their bodies and a blood red hood and cape that covered their heads. In their left hands they held a chain, which had a ball on the end, and in their right hands they carried a large sickle.

"Gate of Destiny," Magnaangemon called the name of his main attack. He moved the purple beam sword in a perfect circle, leaving a trace of light behind it. As soon as the circle of light was completed, a solid, golden gateway began to form. The ancient digital texts on the gate started to rotate before the doors opened to reveal a shimmering, white hot porthole to a place that would destroy and trap the data of any being that entered it.

TK and Magnaangemon stood behind the Gate of Destiny and watched as its power slowly began to draw loose stones off the ground. The power of the weapon continued to increase, sucking much larger rocks into the air and through the gate. The Bakemon and Vilemon started to flail around wildly as they tried to grip onto something. The first few were dragged straight into the air and into the centre of the open weapon of doom. They were soon followed by a stream of the other Bakemon and Vilemon as the power of the attack continued to build. The Devidramon dug their long, blood red claws into the rocks, gripping on as tightly as they could while the Phantomon joined the last of the Vilemon and Bakemon to be sucked through the gate.

Magnaangemon started to form a rainbow aura around his purple beam sword. He pointed the weapon in the direction of Neodevimon and the Devidramon as they clung on to the jagged rocks. The aura suddenly formed a beam that Magnaangemon fired straight at the Digimon opposing him to finish them off. Neodevimon flew straight up into the air to avoid the attack, leaving the Devidramon to their fate. The power of the attack deleted the demon dragons instantly. The Devidramon shattered into tiny pieces of data as the attack hit the ground causing an explosion that tore apart the rocky surface of the mountain, sending debris flying into the air.

The strong, cold wind quickly cleared the dust from the fight scene, giving Neodevimon a safe place to land. The demon growled as he stared at Magnaangemon.

TK placed his hand on his hip as a cocky smirk formed across his face. "What's the matter? Are you frustrated that you can't beat us?"

Neodevimon let out another low growl of anger. "I can beat you when ever I want."

"Then why did you need that army?" Magnaangemon retorted as he glared at his nemesis.

Neodevimon suddenly flew straight up into the air and positioned himself with his right claw drawn back. A dark black cloud formed around the devil's right claw as he powered up his attack. "Stun claw!" Neodevimon yelled as thrust his claw forwards, towards Magnaangemon. The dark mist formed a ghost of Neodevimon's claw as it sped to its target.

"Magna antidote." Another multi-coloured aura formed around the purple shield on Magnaangemon's left shoulder as he moved it into place to successfully block the attack.

"Guilty claw!" Neodevimon bellowed in rage as he lunged towards his foe with his right claw outstretched in front of him.

Magnaangemon jumped up into the air to counter the move with Excalibur. His sword met with Neodevimon's metallic claws in a mid-air stalemate. Both Digimon tried to gain the upper hand by forcing their attack through but neither succeeded. The angel and demon pushed off each other, creating some distance between them, and stared at each other through their helmets.

The stand off only lasted a few seconds as Neodevimon realised the still open Gate of Destiny was moving into position behind him. The demon Digimon flew down to the ground and executed a perfect landing. He glanced up at Magnaangemon and let out a low, evil laugh. "Guilty Claw."

Neodevimon thrust his right claw into the ground. It suddenly reappeared in a dark, ghost-like form under TK. The blonde teen gasped as he felt the claw rip through his school uniform and lift him off the ground. Time seemed to slow down for TK while his nemesis' sharp metal claw held him in mid-air. He could feel, to his relief, the tips only lightly pierce his skin.

"Aurora beam!" Magnaangemon fired the rainbow coloured light from his beam sword towards his foe once more.

Neodevimon pulled his claw out of the ground, releasing TK from his grasp. The demon jumped off the floor as the beam of light narrowly missed him. The resulting explosion on the ground sent out debris and shock waves that knocked the devil Digimon out of the air. Neodevimon crashed hard against the cold, rigid rock surface of Infinity Mountain.

Magnaangemon fired a second beam of light from Excalibur towards his target. Neodevimon pushed himself off the floor, flapping his wings frantically to gain lift and avoid the beam. The attack narrowly missed the demon again as he flew into the sky. Neodevimon glanced at Magnaangemon and TK as he rose into the air before realising he had been out manoeuvred. He spun around quickly and soared off into the clouds that surrounded the Peak of Infinity Mountain.

TK pulled himself to his knees and punched the ground in frustration. "Coward!" The Digidestined of Hope screamed in frustration as he watch Neodevimon disappear into the haze. He growled as he stood and inspected the damage to his body.

"Are you alright?" Magnaangemon asked with a clear note of concern in his voice as he landed next to his human partner.

"Yeah, they're just small cuts," TK sighed as he used part of his torn shirt to wipe some blood off the cut on his chest. "Everyone's going to be angry at me for this, especially Matt, Kari and my Mother, if she finds out."

"We should go back, Neodevimon is long gone," Magnaangemon suggested before he de-digivolved to Patamon. TK nodded in agreement and lead the way back to the TV.

* * *

The white light of inter-dimensional travel erupted from the computer monitor which all the present Digidestined were focusing on. TK and Patamon emerged on the floor as the light faded back into the screen. TK heard several of his friends gasp his name. The familiar hands of Matt and Kari landed on his body, inspecting his wounds as he moved into a kneeing position.

"What happened?" Matt asked with noticeable mixture of concern, anger and a hint of horror as he knelt down beside his younger brother.

"We were so close to beating him but he flew off," TK's voice showed his frustration as he clenched his fists.

"It looks like Neodevimon was close to beating you," Matt growled, doing his best to keep his emotions under control as he inspected his brother's injuries through the younger boy's torn school uniform. "Can someone get a first aid kit please?"

"I'll be right back," Sora volunteered, spinning on her heels and running out of the computer lab.

Kari moved her hands over TK's body, feeling every cut and wiping them with his torn white shirt. She counted five wounds in total, one on his chest, one on each of his shoulder blades and one at the top of both his arms.

"How did this happen?" The brunette asked in a worried voice as she continued to clean the blood up.

"Neodevimon caught me in his claw," TK glanced between his friends and noticed their worried faces. "It allowed Patamon to almost kill him in the same way he did to the Devidramon."

"Devidramon?" Tai questioned, feeling there were going to be parts of this story that he didn't like.

"Yeah," Patamon replied as he sat on the desk of the computer he and his partner had just exited. "Neodevimon had backup but I took them out with the Gate of Destiny."

"That angered Neodevimon so he came after me," TK took over from his Digimon. "He got me in his claw, which allowed Patamon to attack and nearly kill him. He had to drop me to survive. Then Neodevimon ran off because he knew we had the upper hand."

"I thought we agreed you would call us if Neodevimon had backup," Davis was quickest to respond to TK's rendition of the battle.

"But we didn't need any help," TK glanced up at Davis. "Magnaangemon's Gate of Destiny took them all out, so there was no point putting you all in unnecessary danger."

"TK, please don't risk your life like that again," Kari interrupted both teen boys, sensing a possible argument was going to begin. There was a hint of anger in her voice as she spoke. "How would you feel if I did something like that?"

Her mahogany eyes met TK's azure ones. TK could see the concern in his best friend's gaze and Kari could see him thinking over what she had just said. The blonde teen glanced down and sighed. His looked back up, reconnecting his eye contact with Kari.

"Sorry," TK continued to stare into Kari's eyes to let her know he was being sincerer. "I should have been more careful and I will be more careful next time."

"Damn right," Matt and Tai replied in unison.

"Let's get your jacket and shirt off so we can clean you up easier," Matt said as started pulling TK's green jacket off.

Kari joined in, giving Matt a hand removing the torn clothes. The brunette then suddenly realised what she was doing, sending inappropriate thoughts running through her mind. Kari quickly reminded herself that now was not the time to let her attraction to TK take over her thoughts as she stared at her crush's slim upper body.

"Davis or Ken," Kari snapped back to reality, realising TK would need some item of clothing to cover his upper body on the way home. "Could one of you go to TK's locker and fetch a spare shirt please?"

"That's a good idea," Matt replied. "Mom would flip if she found out what just happened."

"I'll go," Ken stood up. "May I have you locker key please, TK?"

The blonde boy reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. "Thanks Ken," TK smiled as he passed his wallet to Ken by the key of his locker. "My spare shirt is with my basketball stuff."

"Ok," Ken replied as he sprinted out of the lab and down the corridor.

"I've got some large band-aid plasters and some antiseptic wipes," Sora announced as she rounded the door and re-entered the room just as Ken left.

"Thanks Sora," Matt smiled his appreciation to his girlfriend as she handed a wipe to him. Sora then passed another wipe to Kari before helping the brunette and Matt patch up TK.

"TK," Tai interrupted first aid in a serious tone. "You're going to have to rethink your strategy."

* * *

And there is another complete chapter. I'm not so sure I liked the first scene with the note passing and the waiting in the computer lab. I decided to keep it as it is because I wanted to show Kari's thoughts about TK when someone asks him on a date and how nervous the group must feel when one of them is going into battle alone.

Please click the review button below and let me know what you think =D


	9. There's a First Time for Everything

**Chapter 9: There's a First Time for Everything.**

Heya everyone. Thanks for the reviews of the last chapter. I appreciated you guys letting me know that it was a good idea for me to keep the first scene of the last chapter in the fic. It was a good confidence boost.

This is one of my favourite chapters and one of the most important ones too. You will find out why when you read it. I hope you guys like it as much as I do.

I don't own Digimon or anything else copyrighted that I happen to mention in this story. Now what would I do if I did …

* * *

The gentle breeze of a sunny Thursday morning travelled along the street, causing TK's clothes and golden blonde hair to gently sway. The teen boy used his index finger and thumb in an attempt to remove the tiredness from his sapphire eyes. TK leant against the stone wall behind him as he rubbed his digits over his closed eyelids. He sighed, removing his hand from his face and looking expectantly to the near by street corner. The teen boy hoped Kari would soon walk round it and inject some much needed energy into his body.

As if on cue, the brunette teen girl walked around the corner and set her mahogany eyes on him. Kari beamed her beautiful smile towards TK, which was exactly what the teen boy needed to inject some energy into his body. Her smile always had a way of doing that to him.

"Good morning," TK greeted her and returned the smile as he pushed himself away from the wall.

"Heya TK," Kari replied as she strolled up and looked him over. "Still having nightmares?" Kari stated more than asked as she pulled TK into a hug. He could never hide anything from her, even if he tried.

"Yeah," replied TK as he felt Kari's arms wrap around his body, pulling him towards her. He willing accepted the embrace and returned it by wrapping his arms around her waist so he could have the teen girl's body as close to his as he could.

"How much sleep did you get?" Kari asked in a concerned voice as she placed her head on his chest.

"A couple of hours," the blonde boy answered before gently resting his cheek on the top of Kari's head.

Kari sighed and tightened her grip. "I know how you feel. Remember when I had those nightmares caused by those creatures that live in the Dark Ocean?"

The mention of the Dark Ocean caused TK to instinctively tighten his grip as well. The idea of loosing Kari always scared him, whether it was loosing her to Myotismon, the Dark World or Neodevimon. The blonde teen shuddered at his last thought. "Yeah, how could I forget?"

Kari sighed again before they fell into a comfortable silence that allowed the teenagers to enjoy their embrace. They stayed that way for several minutes, letting the world pass them by.

"We should get going," Kari broke the silence, lifting her head off TK's chest so she could see whether or not he agreed. Both of them could have happily remained in the embrace all day if they did not have to go to school.

"Yeah, I could do without having to stay behind after school tonight," TK nodded as his eyes met with hers again. He began to loosen his embrace with Kari, removing his arms from around her as she did the same to him. As the friends moved apart, TK could feel Kari's arm sliding over his left arm and realised their hands were going to touch.

TK felt the soft skin of Kari's right hand almost pressing against his as their hands met. He let his feelings take over as he clasped her hand in his. The blonde boy felt his best friend entwining her fingers with his own. It was something that fuelled his hope that he could move his relationship with her beyond boundaries of friendship.

TK noticed a pink tint forming across Kari's cheeks as he continued to gaze into her soft brown eyes. He could feel the heat rise in his own face and his smile returning. TK noticed Kari's smile growing too before they both turned and started walking hand in hand towards Odaiba Junior High School.

They both remained silent, enjoying the contact, however small it might be, between their bodies. The two teens had accepted that it was now alright for them to hold the other's hand, without saying a word, after they started holding hands on the way home two days ago. Both of them had held hands on the way to and from school yesterday as well. However, they only did so when they weren't in sight of anyone they knew and they were using the same caution as they continued towards their destination.

"How are your wounds heeling?" Kari broke the comfortable silence the two friends had slipped into again. She tilted her head to the right and glanced across to her best friend. TK could sense that she didn't really want to bring up the subject.

"They're healing fine, thanks to you and Matt patching me up." The teen boy changed his smile to one that showed his gratitude. He tightened his grip of her hand. "Besides, they're not as bad as they looked."

Kari continued to gaze at TK. Her facial expressions clearly showed him that she was still worried about the battle which took place the day before. "That's good," she finally replied as her expression became a serious one. "Just don't let Neodevimon do that to you again."

"I won't and I won't let him touch anyone else either," TK replied with in serious and somewhat confident manner. His body language changed to fit his tone.

"Good," Kari squeezed his hand as she spoke. "I don't want you to do something like what Wizardmon did when we fought Myotismon. That would be my worst nightmares come true."

TK stopped, causing the brunette to stop with him. He turned to face her, cupping her cheek in his right hand as he did so. "I know that," the teen boy stated as his eyes matched his serious tone. "I also know you know that I will do my best to make sure that everyone survives, including me."

"I know," Kari replied as she placed her spare hand on top of the hand TK was holding her cheek with. "It's just that yesterday was too close for comfort."

TK nodded has he pulled his hand away from Kari's face and started walking again. He didn't need anymore persuading that his tactics need changing, Kari had already convinced him of it yesterday when she reminded him that he would not be happy if the roles were reversed and she did the same thing.

The teens continued to walk on, finding themselves in a comfortable silence yet again. Unfortunately for them, it wasn't long before they turned onto the road that lead them to the school gates. They soon spotted some other students walking in the same direction as them. The friends instantly let go of each other's hand, fearing the consequences of being caught with their fingers entwined in that way. It would only give fuel to the gossipers who were saying the teens were secretly dating and neither of them wanted to put up with those rumours at the current time.

TK noticed his best friend sigh loudly as they ended their body contact. He tilted his head to the left and gave her his trademark, hope filled grin. There was a hint of mischievousness in there too. Kari smiled her usual warm smile back before TK winked at her. The blonde boy's smirk grew watched as the red tint returned to his friend's face. Then an idea came into his head.

"Do you want to come to my apartment after school?" TK asked, hoping she'd say yes. "My Mom is working late and I would like some company."

"Sure," Kari replied as her smile grew too. She could never turn down to opportunity to spend time with him.

* * *

Kari and TK stepped out of the white elevator and made their way down the hallway to the main door of the Takaishi apartment. They had spent the entire day together and most of their thoughts throughout the day had been about each other. They had begun to hold hands as soon as the coast was clear on the journey back and they had not yet let go as they walked between the white walls of the corridor.

TK used his free hand to pull his black leather wallet out of his pocket once they had reached his apartment door at the end of the hallway. The blonde held his wallet by the metal key, which he slid into the lock and opened the door. He let Kari through the entrance and closed the grey metal door behind them. The teens reluctantly released each other's hands so they could let Patamon and Gatomon out of their school bags. The two Digimon jumped out of the bags and headed into TK's bedroom while the two Digidestined removed their shoes.

A mischievous grin formed on Kari's face as she slipped off her shoes and placed them on the rack. The teen girl glanced over to TK as she retook is hand.

"What?" He asked, somewhat confused by her smirk.

"How many girls at school would want to be in my position now?" Kari giggled. "I bet some of your fan girls would kill someone to be alone with you."

"None of them are my best friend so I wouldn't be bringing any of them home with me," TK smirked as he led Kari into the living room area of the open plan apartment.

Kari looked around the familiar apartment to make sure it was empty. It was a spacious, modern place with white walls and a laminated wood floor. She glanced over the granite work surfaces and wooden cupboards of the kitchen, over the pine table of the dinning area and her eyes fixed on the large black and grey sofas. TK led her to one of the sofas and offered her a seat, which she took. He handed her the grey remote of the large, flat screen TV that hung off the wall in front of her.

"What do want to drink?" TK asked her as he released her hand and strolled over to the kitchen.

"Apple juice please," Kari replied, glancing over her left shoulder. She watched her best friend take two glasses from a cupboard before he opened the white fridge and took out the juice. He poured the light brown liquid out of the carton into the two glasses then put the apple juice back into the fridge. The teen boy picked up the two glasses and made his way back to Kari.

"Here you go," TK handed one of the glasses of apple juice to the brunette before he took a seat next to her on the sofa.

"Thanks," Kari responded before taking a drink of the juice and then placing the glass on the table.

"So what do you want to do?" TK asked as he placed his glass next to Kari's on the wooden table.

"I guess we can see if there's anything decent on TV," Kari replied as she pressed the red power button on the remote. She flicked through the channels until she found a movie that caught her eye and she left it on.

Kari placed the remote on the table and lent back into the sofa to watch the movie. After a minute of watching the film, her thoughts changed to the distance between herself and her best friend sitting to her right. She realised she was missing the contact between her body and his, even if it was only just holding hands. As a result, Kari slowly began to slide her way along the couch so she could get closer to the boy she secretly loved.

Kari, once she was close enough, gently rested her head on TK's shoulder. She felt his left arm wrap around her back, pulling her closer. The teen girl, liking where this was going, placed her right arm around the blonde boy and moved so her body was pressed up against him. She then reached over with her left hand and took his right hand. Kari felt TK entwining his fingers with hers as their hands rested between their thighs. Smiles formed across both of their faces as TK carefully rested his head against hers.

They both sat there in the embrace, enjoying the close proximity of their bodies. Kari's mind had completely lost interest in the movie on the TV as she started to think thoughts about her relationship with TK. She found herself thinking about what TK holding her hand actually meant to her. It added extra strength to the thoughts that he might actually be able to return the feelings she had for him. The teen girl realised she had slightly moved her head and was now staring at the blonde boy next to her.

Kari found her mahogany eyes gazing into TK's sapphire orbs as he stared back at her. She watched a pink tint form in his cheeks as a smile crossed his face. Kari felt herself smiling back as her mind and heart filled with even more hope that TK loved her in the way she loved him. The brunette noticed her friend's right hand release her hand and, before she could look to see why, she felt his hand cup her left cheek.

She became aware of a new confidence growing within her, one fuelled by her love. Kari shifted her body, lifting her left leg over TK's legs so she was kneeling over him on the sofa. Her gaze remained fixed on the blonde's eyes as she curved her back so their faces were level. Kari felt TK's left arm slide down her back and pull her closer. She found her arms automatically responding to his movements as they wrapped themselves around the back of his neck for support.

Kari felt her friend's hand gently slide down her cheek as he tilted her head slightly to the right. His hand stopped when his index finger, middle finger and thumb were the only part of his hand left in contact with her chin. Kari suddenly became aware of how close their bodies were. She could feel the heat of his body as she pushed herself up against him. She could smell TK's unique scent, a mixture of his cologne and masculine odour that could drive any girl wild.

The teen girl continued to stare into TK's sapphire orbs, watching as he tilted his head a little to the right and slowly moved towards her. She automatically started to move towards him too as they both slowly closed their eyes and slightly opened their mouths. Kari could feel her heart pounding away in her chest due to the excitement of the whole situation. Then, finally, the moment she had been waiting for, she felt her soft lips gently push against TK's.

It felt as if time had come to a stand still as the lips of the two teens connected for the first time. Adrenaline raced through their bodies, rewarding them with a form of pleasure and excitement for finally kissing. Kari could feel TK's lips gliding back from hers. Wanting more, the teen opened her mouth, at the same time as TK, and pushed forwards again. They repeated the action several times, adding more passion with each kiss.

They kept kissing for what seemed to be ages, although in reality it was only a mere minute. Eventually the need to breathe took hold of their bodies, making them pull back from the kiss. Kari felt a wave of disappointment spread through her as the kiss end because she wished it could have lasted forever. The brunette opened her eyes and gazed at her best friend. She noticed a huge smile forming as his sapphire orbs glinted with the trait he was best known for, hope. Kari found herself returning the smile as she panted, trying to get some oxygen back into her lungs.

Kari's eyes then opened wide in horror as she realised what she had just done. She had just kissed TK, her best friend, at a time when he clearly needed her to be his best friend. From out of nowhere, her mind filled with a guilt that had not been there mere minutes ago when it was telling her to kiss him. Now her thoughts were telling her she shouldn't have gone through with the kiss. Her thoughts told her that she should be supporting TK as a best friend at a time when he needed that support. Kari felt like she was taking advantage of his emotionally compromised state. She noticed a look of concern growing on the blonde's face as he reacted to her.

"I'm sorry," Kari's voice quivered as she spoke. Her body had begun to shake as tears started flowing from her eyes and down her cheeks. "I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have forced myself on you. I …"

Kari couldn't finish as she saw the pain growing in TK's eyes. The teen girl pushed herself off the sofa spun to face the door. She started walking over to the exit but was stopped by TK gripping her left wrist. Kari tried to pull herself free, not wanting to face the hate she assumed her best friend must have felt towards her. She tried to pull her arm free again but TK only tightened his grip.

"Don't go … Kari … please … don't go," TK's voice quivered, clearly showing the emotional pain he was in at that moment. "If you go now, I … I don't think I could take it anymore w… with everything that's happening."

Kari stood still, staring at a point on the floor as she listened to the hurt and pain in her best friend's voice. It only made her guilt worse.

She heard him gulp loudly before he continued. "Please tell me that meant something to you because … because it did to me. I … I love you Hikari. I need you. I won't be able to take it if you leave now."

TK's words registered in Kari's mind, making her spin on the spot and stare into her best friend's eyes again. She saw his tears flowing freely down his cheeks, just like hers. She could see the pain etched on his face but, most importantly, she could she he was serious. He was really serious. Kari felt a weak smile forming across her face as her feeling of guilt gradually dissipated.

The teen girl leaped towards her best friend and pulled him into a tight embrace. Her tears of pain that she felt moments ago changed to tears of joy as she buried her face into TK's chest. Kari could feel her love's arms slowly wrapping around her. She felt his left hand on the back of her head and his right arm around her waist, pulling her as close to him as they could possibly get. Kari then realised she hadn't replied to him.

"Takeru," Kari addressed him by is full name as she pulled her head back and looked into his eyes. "I love you too. Will you be my boyfriend?"

She watched the smile return to his face as his left hand move around from the back of her head to her face. TK carefully wiped the tears off her cheeks before he moved his hand under her chin. He tilted her head into the same position she was in just before their kiss.

"Of course I will, my love," TK replied as he tilted his head and slowly moved his mouth closer to hers.

Kari felt her heart beating even harder than before as the distance closed between them. The teen girl wrapped her arms back around TK's neck for support as she felt her knees starting to shake. Kari, determined not letting her nerves get the better of her, closed her eyes and opened her mouth in anticipation of another kiss with her best friend and boyfriend.

Their lips met again as they entered another passionate kiss. The couple's hearts pounded away in their chests, sending adrenaline throughout their bodies as a pleasurable reward for their actions. Kari found herself savouring the taste of TK's mouth as her lips slowly brushed back and forth over his. She was definitely delighted and relieved that TK had stopped her from running off from something as great as that kiss.

Eventually the kiss ended after what felt like a life time to them. The lovers reluctantly pulled their heads back and gazed into the other's eyes. They found themselves moving closer until their foreheads and noses were resting against each other's and huge smiles grew across their faces.

"I love you," TK whispered as the couple stood there in their embrace.

"I love you too," Kari replied as she listened to their synchronised breathing.

"Finally," the familiar voice of Gatomon interrupted the moment.

The teen's eyes opened wide as they turned to where the words had come from. They had been completely lost in the moment and had forgotten that their Digimon were in the apartment with them.

"Wait until the others hear about this," Patamon said with a huge grin spread across his face. He was clearly happy for his friends.

"NO!" TK and Kari yelled in unison as they stared at the Digimon sat on the arm of the sofa. "You can't tell them!"

"Why not?" Gatomon asked as a puzzled expression formed on hers and Patamon's faces.

"Tai will kill me," TK's fear of what Kari's older brother might do to him was clear in his voice.

"And Matt will kill me," Kari added, worried about what TK's brother might think to their relationship.

"I'm sure they'll be as happy for you as we are," Patamon replied as the smile returned to his face.

"I'm not so sure," TK replied with his concern still etched on his face. "And then there's Davis. He still has a crush on Kari, even though he doesn't show it as much as he once did. If he finds out about this he'll be really upset."

"What about the rest of our friends?" Kari added. "They might not like it either. Then there are all the girls at school who like TK. They'll want to kill me if they find out I'm dating him."

"I'm sure the other guys who like Kari, besides Davis, will hate me too," TK continued. "Assuming they don't already hate me for spending so much time with her."

Gatomon pursed her lips together in annoyance. "Fine, well keep it a secret under one condition."

"What's that?" Kari asked, worrying what her Digimon partner was going to suggest.

"You two must not let your worries, like the ones you've just said, end your relationship," Gatomon folded her arms as she finished.

TK and Kari glanced to each other before replying in unison. "Ok, deal."

"My mouth is now sealed," Patamon said before pretending to zip his mouth shut.

"Thanks guys," TK expressed his gratitude before taking his girlfriend's hand and leading her back to the sofa. The new couple sat down on the grey and black couch with their arms around each other.

"You know," TK turned to Kari and smiled as he spoke. "This will change everything in our relationship, yet everything will stay exactly the same."

"I know what you mean," Kari nodded and smiled back.

"I don't," Patamon stated as a confused look formed on his face. "How can everything thing be the same if everything changes?"

"What TK means is nothing will change in our day to day routine," Kari answered the orange and cream Digimon's question. "We'll still be doing the same things we always do but we can now express our love for each other while doing things. We still remain best friends even though we're now in a romantic relationship."

"We spend so much time together that we were practically dating anyway," TK laughed as he thought about the thing he and Kari normally did. "It's no wonder everyone thought we were in a secret relationship."

* * *

TK groggily opened his eyes and pulled himself to his feet. He could still feel the chill of the rocks that had just been pressed against his body. A strong, freezing wind howled past his ears and through his clothes. The young teen had no idea how he got to where he was or what was going on around him. He could hear the sounds of people shouting as he tried to focus his eyes to find some answers.

His eyes finally focused and shot wide open. He found himself in the middle of a battle in the Digital World. TK quickly glanced around, taking in the sight. The sky was dark, the wind was cold and a storm was heading his way. The cold stone ground of Infinity Mountain stretched out before him, adding to the uncomfortable atmosphere. The marble Greek-like temples lay in partial ruin, damaged from the raging battle.

The blonde boy saw several of his Digidestined friends scattered across the peak of the mountain, some running, some taking cover and others lay prone with no movement at all. The Digimon were fully digivolved and fighting in the sky above them with some demonic creature. He noticed not all the Digimon were present and the ratio of Digidestined to Digimon partners defiantly did not match up.

TK then caught a glimpse of the devil the group were fighting. The grey skin and red torn wings of Neodevimon flew across the darkened sky. The virus Digimon had his claw open and his arm out stretched as he struck Angewomon to the ground. The angel lost her form, reverting back into the cat figure of Gatomon. TK watched the feline Digimon's body bounce lifelessly as she hit the ground.

He then saw a brunette girl sprint out of her cover and head at full pace to the motionless body of Gatomon. TK began to make his way over to Kari, watching her as she cradled her partner. The blonde's eyes then fixed onto Neodevimon in horror. The demon had just sent Magnaangemon spiralling down to the ground and was now diving with his claw outstretched in the direction of the Digidestined of Light.

Time felt as if it was slowing down and TK found himself rooted to the spot. Fear gripped him as he found his legs were unable to propel him towards his girlfriend and save her from his evil nemesis. His worst nightmare was coming true, Neodevimon had defeated Magnaangemon and now he was going to kill Kari. The teen boy's eyes watched in horror as the claw connected with the beautiful teen girl cradling her cat Digimon.

TK's eye bolted wide open as he sat up in bed at threw his green covers off his body. He found himself panting heavily and covered in a cold sweat. He gulped loudly and sighed in relief as he used his sheets to wipe the sweat from his forehead. TK turned to look at Patamon, who was staring at him with an extremely concerned expression on his orange and cream face. TK took a deep breath of relief. "Thank God that was only a nightmare."

* * *

Now do you see why it was one of my favourite chapters and why it was so important? Please click the review button and let my know what you think :D

I'm sorry if the dream at the end of the chapter confused anyone. I thought I would put it in to show you the sort of things that haunt TK in his nightmares. It also ties in with the start of the next chapter too.

I know this chapter was Takari and fluff heavy and the next chapter will contain a lot of Takari moments too. I promise the chapters after chapter 10 will be have a better balance of Takari to action scenes.

And one final authors note before I go. When I originally came up with the idea for this story I thought about having TK and Kari together at the start, but I decided that was a bad idea. I then thought about having them kiss after the final battle with Neodevimon but I decided against that as well. The scene where they nearly kissed in chapter four almost became the moment they would actually kiss for the first time but I decided in the end to go with this chapter because it fits into the plot better. I could dedicate a whole chapter to their first kiss this way too.

Well, please let me know what you think and leave a review :D


	10. Sunrise and New Plans

**Chapter 10: Sunrise and New Plans**

Hi everyone. I'd like to say another big thanks to those of you who reviewed the last chapter and to those of you who have given me the motivation to get ten chapters into this fic.

I still don't own Digimon or anything else copyrighted that I mention in this fic. I'm running out of lines to put in here after the disclaimers … hmm … err … nope nothing witty is coming to mind. Oh well, on with the story …

* * *

Kari felt a freezing wind blow through her clothes, making her shiver. She found the ground she was lying on was cold, hard, unforgiving rock. The Digidestined of Light could sense darkness all around her as she attempted to figure out where she was. Everything felt vague and fuzzy as her senses tried to register what was going on. She could hear the explosions and roars of a battle raging above her as sounds finally registered in her ears.

The brunette had no idea how she got there, her memory being as blurred as her vision when she opened her eyes. Everything appeared dark, like daylight tainted by the evil darkness only a demonic Digimon could create. Kari's eyesight slowly returned to her. She made out several figures running around, trying to get to cover. She then saw other figures already in cover behind large rocks outcropping from the ground or behind the remains of the Greek-like marble temples. Her eyes then noticed there were bodies lying still on the ground of what she now recognised as the Plateau of Infinity Mountain.

She had no idea when or why TK had allowed the Digidestined into the Digiworld to fight Neodevimon but she put that aside as the prone bodies told her they were definitely in a rough fight. She turned her head up to the sky to try and locate her Digimon partner amongst the many combatants in the battle raging above her. Her mahogany eyes located the eight white wings of Angewomon as well as the orange metal armour of Wargreymon. She mentally noted there were less Digimon than humans, something that seriously worried her.

Kari suddenly became aware of a person next to her. She turned to face them and found TK's sapphire eyes staring back at her. His face was full of pain and anxiety. Kari attributed this to the battle not going the way they had intended.

The Digidestined of Light then sensed the darkness they were fighting. Her sixth sense located it right above her and her boyfriend and it was now homing in on them. Kari, for reasons she still couldn't remember, believed the source of this evil was Neodevimon and he was now diving down towards them. She could feel his presence getting closer and closer without even turning to look at the devil. Fear gripped the teen girl's entire body as she froze on the spot. She tried to force her legs to move but they just wouldn't. It felt like they belonged to someone else or they were concreted to the ground. Neodevimon was right on top of them and she realised she was going to die.

Suddenly someone pushed her to one side. The force of the shove lifted her off her feet and sent her flying several metres through the air. It was more like she had been thrown than pushed. She landed hard on the front of her body as her sixth sense told her who had thrown her to safety. Kari's sense recognised the light from TK's body that was emitted by the Crest of Hope. She always sensed it in his body every time they were close. He had pushed her away in an attempt to save her. The brunette's extra sense sent a wave of horror through her body as she felt the warm light of TK collide with the cold dark evil of Neodevimon. The darkness won.

Kari lurched forward, her eyes now wide open and her lungs gasping for air. She began panting heavily as her soft brown eyes refocused, telling her it was night time and she was safe in her bedroom. She was sweating heavily as she threw her pink bed covers to one side.

"Kari, what's wrong?" Gatomon asked with her concern clear in her voice.

"Nothing, I hope. It was just a nightmare," Kari sighed in relief and wiped the sweat off her face with the pink sleeve of her pyjama top. She turned to look at her alarm clock that read 4:28 in deep red numbers. Her eyes then caught on the pink flip phone next to it.

"Do you mind if I ask what it was about?" Gatomon asked as she watched Kari reach over to the phone sat on the pine bedside table. "It appeared really bad from the way you were constantly moving."

"It was about TK," Kari answered as she flipped open her phone. She felt as if she had to check on him to see if he was ok, even if it was the middle of the night. Her delicate fingers pressed the buttons, opening her contact list and scrolling down to TK. She selected his name and pressed the green dial button. Kari placed the ear piece to the side of her head and listened to the dial tone.

"Hello," TK answered the phone almost straightaway. Kari noticed his breathing appeared heavy and his voice sounded slightly worried.

"Hi TK," Kari replied as wave of relief flowed through her body. He was ok but she felt she had better ask to make sure. She also felt a little guilty for waking him at this time of night. The teen girl knew her boyfriend needed all the sleep he could get at the moment.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," she continued after a brief pause. "Are you ok? Did I wake you?"

"I'm fine thanks and no, you didn't wake me. I had a really bad nightmare and I haven't been able to get back to sleep. I'm actually kind of relieved to hear your voice," she listened to TK's replied leave the speaker in her phone and remove her guilt about the timing of her call. "How about you? What's wrong?"

Kari noticed the concern still in his voice as he spoke. She took a deep breath before she replied into the mouth piece of her phone. "I had a nightmare too, TK. It left me with a feeling that I just had to ring you and check that you're ok. It's stupid, I know. I'm sorry."

"It's not stupid," TK reassured her in a caring tone. "And you have nothing to be sorry about."

"Thanks," Kari replied as a smiled formed on her lips.

The couple entered a brief pause where neither said anything and they just sat there listening to each other's breathing. It was TK who finally broke the silence.

"Listen Kari," the brunette sat more upright as she heard his words leave the speaker of her phone. "I don't think I'm going to be able to get back to sleep tonight and … err … I was wondering if you wanted to meet up and watch the sunrise? That is if you're not too tired and you don't want more sleep."

"I'd love to do that, TK," Kari's voice portrayed her obvious enthusiasm over the phone. "Besides, after that nightmare I don't think I'd be able to go back to sleep either."

"Ok," she listened to his answer. "Then how about we meet in the park at five thirty?"

"It's a date," Kari responded in a playful tone and heard TK laugh on the other side. "I'll see you there. Love you."

"I love you too," he replied with his affection clearly showing as he made a kiss sound down the phone. "See you in a bit."

"See you in a bit, love." Calling TK "love" sent a wave of pleasure and optimism through Kari's body. It was something she couldn't quite put her finger on as she climbed out of bed to get ready to meet her boyfriend in the middle of the night.

* * *

TK's right hand caressed the soft skin of Kari's blushing cheek, tilting her head to the right as he did so. His left arm, which was wrapped around her waist, pulled her body as close as it could get to his. Kari's arms mimicked TK's as the couple entered a tight embrace. They both slowly closed their eyes as the distance between their faces became less and less. The lovers opened their lips slightly in anticipation of the kiss they were about to receive.

The teen's soft lips met sending a wave of joy through their bodies as a reward for kissing the one they love. They slowly pulled back, brushing their lips against the other's before opening their mouth slight wider and gently pushing forward for more. They kept going, brushing their lips back and forth and savouring the kiss. Time felt as if it had stopped completely. Neither of the two teenagers cared because they wished they could stay like that forever.

They realised their bodies had begun to cry out for air and that the kiss was coming to an end. Then a sudden revelation occurred to them, they could breathe out of their noses. This allowed them to continue with the kiss and enjoy the pleasures it brought for longer. All thoughts of their nightmares had definitely left their minds now.

Patamon and Gatomon glanced at each other, both of them wondering how long the kiss would last for. They then looked around the park, taking in the atmosphere. The cool summer morning air was gently propelled along by a soft breeze that swayed the leaves of the trees in the park. The sky was a cloudless lightening blue and the increasing brightness of the sky suggested the Sun would soon rise over the eastern horizon. It was by all accounts a perfect summer morning.

Patamon, who was sat on a stone wall at the entrance to the park, turned to face Gatomon. "How long can they stay like that?"

Gatomon turned to face the friend she was sat next to and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I've never timed how long humans kiss for. I've never had the chance either because TK is the first person Kari's kissed."

"I'm sure kisses haven't been this long when I've seen Matt and Sora or Yolei and Ken kiss," Patamon thought aloud as he scratched the back of his head with his black paw. "I wonder when they'll need to stop for air."

After hearing this, TK and Kari broke the kiss and burst out laughing. They turned their heads to face the Digimon sitting on the sandstone wall next to them.

"You don't see them kiss like that because they only do it when there's nobody around," TK winked at his partner.

"And we were breathing through our noses," Kari giggled at the innocence of their Digimon before glancing around to make sure nobody had caught her and TK. The streets around the park were empty with nobody walking or even driving around at this early hour of the day. It was unusually peaceful for Odaiba, or for any part of Tokyo for that matter.

"Ah," Patamon realised he hadn't thought about that. "That explains why you could kiss for that long."

The humans giggled again before TK glanced to the sky. "Come on. Let's head to the seafront to watch the sunrise. We'll get a better view from there."

Kari smiled as she reluctantly released the embrace of her love. "Ok, let's go," she said as she kept her right arm across TK's back. TK returned the gesture, leaving his left arm around her waist as they walked in the direction of the sea. Patamon and Gatomon followed behind them, talking about the strange and different combinations of Digimon kissing.

"How would an Orgemon and a Parrotmon kiss?" Patamon asked as he tried to imagine the two Digimon trying to show affection towards each other.

"I don't think they could," laughed Gatomon. "But I think it would work better than a Whamon trying to kiss a Shellmon."

"I think Whamon would look like he's trying to eat someone when he tries to kiss them," Patamon laughed at the image as it appeared in his mind.

Eventually, after a few minutes with lots of strange Digimon pairings and lots of laughter from the Digimon and humans, they finally reached the seafront. TK and Kari, still with their arms around each other, made their way to a white bench that over looked the sea.

The group took a seat on the bench and fell into a comfortable silence. Kari sat up against TK with her arm still around him and her head resting on his shoulder. TK's arm was also still around the brunette's back as he gently rested his blonde head on top of hers.

As if on cue, the first rays of light from the bright orange orb, which is the Sun, hit the city. They spread out majestically, illuminating the Tokyo skyline as the top to the great sphere of fire peeped above the tower blocks of the eastern horizon. The Sun continued to gradually rise, revealing more of itself into the lightening sky.

Kari thought the sight was beautiful but she sighed as thoughts of her nightmare returned. She found herself subconsciously tightening her embrace of her boyfriend. "I guess you already know what my nightmare was about."

"I think so," TK's grip tightened too as he spoke in a solemn tone similar to Kari's. "I'm guessing it was like mine, us four with some of the other Digidestined and Neodevimon."

"Yep," Kari nodded as she continued to watch the Sun climb over the Tokyo tower blocks.

"The last week has felt like I've been in a dream," TK's sapphire eyes glanced down to Kari. "I'm now living my greatest dream with you and at the same time I'm living my worst nightmare by having to face Devimon again."

Kari tilted her head and allowed her mahogany eyes to meet TK's gaze. She gave him a reassuring smile. "I know what you mean. It does feel a bit surreal. When you defeat Neodevimon we'll be able to live our greatest dream out together and not have to worry about any nightmares."

"Yeah," TK smiled back before glancing over to the Sun. It had now risen over the tower blocks and into the sky, shining its light over the whole city. Then an idea came into the blonde boy's head. "Let's get some breakfast, I'm buying."

"Ok," Kari replied as she shifted to stand up. "This has sure been an interesting way to spend our first date."

* * *

The thick blinds stopped most of the sunlight from entering the nearly empty classroom in the main building Odaiba Junior High. Instead of being outside in the good weather like the other teens at the school, four figures perched on their individual wooden desks and had entered a difficult conversation. There was definite tension hanging in the air.

"Dude, you need a new tactic," Davis spoke with a slight hint of exasperation in his voice. It had taken a lot of persuading from him and Ken to get TK to have this conversation.

"Davis is right," Ken added somewhat reluctantly. "Who is going to fight Neodevimon if you get injured?"

"We'd have to fight and I'm sure you don't want that," Davis finished his point and emphasised the end of the sentence.

TK groaned and rubbed the side of his head. His body language clearly said he didn't want to be involved in this conversation. He took a quick glance for support from Kari, who was sitting with her legs crossed on the table next to his. "You know I don't want anyone else getting involved in this."

"We might have to get involved if you get torn up every time you fight." The result from TK's last battle with Neodevimon was still clear in Davis' mind as he spoke. "How long would it be before he does what he did last time again and actually does more than just scratch you?"

"No one else is going to get involved, Davis," TK's words were stern this time. He even sounded slightly agitated by the direction of the conversation. "Neodevimon would start killing you all and not give a damn. It is exactly what he wants to happen."

Kari let out a cough to get the group's attention before she added her view to the conversation. "Listen guys, TK knows we care about him and that we don't want him to get hurt again. That means he will do his best to make sure we don't worry by keeping himself safe. Won't you, TK?"

"Of course," TK replied with a matter of fact tone as he looked over at the girl he was in a secret relationship with. "As Tai said; if anyone dies then we've lost and that includes me. Besides, I don't want to die because I have too much to live for."

"How can we be sure that he won't do that same thing again and kill you next time?" Ken asked in a tenor that still showed his concern.

"I told you he wants me alive, remember?" TK took a deep breath and clenched his fist. "He wants to make me suffer by forcing me to watch him kill everyone I care about. That's why Patamon and I have to do this alone."

Although Ken and Davis were definitely not convinced, they decided to leave the subject and try to move on. They had managed to get their point across. Unfortunately, they had not managed to get TK to come up with a new tactic but there was still time for him to do that.

* * *

Tai, Matt, Sora and Izzy all sat on the sofa and chairs in the living area of the Kamiya apartment. They all were wearing the green and white school uniforms that both Odaiba Junior High and Senior High wore. Izzy was busy setting up his laptop to show his friends some important information on the current condition of the Digiworld. The computer genius had met up with the others after their classes had ended an hour ago.

"Normally I'm happy at the start of summer break but at the moment …" Matt trailed off, knowing he didn't need to finish his sentence. The blonde rock star was sat with his right arm around Sora's shoulders.

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Tai sounded somewhat worried. "Neodevimon is too much of a problem for us to be able to relax."

"Just think how TK feels about all of it," Sora added as she rested her head on Matt's shoulder and slipped her arm around his back. "I wonder how he's coping."

"The best person to ask would be Kari," Tai glanced over to Sora as he spoke. "She's been with him everyday since Neodevimon returned. We can ask her when she gets home, assuming she hasn't gone to straight to TK's."

"May I interrupt you guys for a moment?" Izzy asked as he finished typing on his laptop.

"Sure Izzy," Tai said as he turned his attention him. "We all met up because you wanted to talk to us. Now, what is it you wanted to show us?"

"This," Izzy pointed to the screen. It was a map of File Island that had a grid over laying it. The centre of the map consisted of solid black squares which changed to grey and eventually white squares as the distance increased from the centre.

"That looks like one of the maps you used two years ago to show which areas had control spires in," Matt recalled the image from the time when the Digidestined faced the Digimon Emperor.

"It's the same software. It is what I've been using to track the dark disturbances in the Digital World," Izzy informed them. "This is a live image from File Island."

"What?" Tai asked as a look of shock formed on his and the other's faces. "Where did the control spires come from?"

"They're not control spires, Tai," Izzy corrected the older boy. "This is the dark disturbance that Neodevimon has been creating since he arrived in the Digital World. It originally was only in the square that represents the Peak of Infinity Mountain but now, as you can see, it has spread far beyond it."

"How is he creating it?" Sora asked as she stared at the black area on the laptop screen.

"Probably the same way all evil Digimon create areas of darkness for themselves," the red haired boy answered.

"Will it stop our Digimon from digivolving like the control spires did?" Matt asked with his growing concern evident in his voice.

"I don't know," Izzy shook his head. "So far it hasn't stopped Patamon digivolving."

"How long have we got until the darkness covers all of File Island?" Tai spoke in a serious tone that matched his facial expressions.

The genius sighed. He was becoming slightly annoyed with all the questions he was being bombarded with. "I don't know yet. It seems to grow sporadically, some days it grows a lot and others it only grows a bit. I'll need a few more days to come up with a decent estimation."

"Hi guys." The group jumped in surprise and turned around to see Kari standing behind them, waving her greeting. They hadn't heard her come in.

"Hi Kari," Izzy, Matt and Sora replied in unison and returned the wave.

"Please excuse me for a minute, guys, I'm just going to get changed." Kari gave the group a polite bow before heading into her room and closing the door.

"I think we should show this to TK," Matt turned back and pointed to the laptop screen.

"I was thinking of going to see him after we finished here," Izzy turned back to his laptop and closed the window containing the information on the Digiworld.

"That sounds like a good idea. I think I might join you," Matt added before turning to Sora. "Are you coming?"

"Yeah," Sora replied. "I can see if he's alright after what happened on Wednesday."

"I'll come too. Maybe we can help TK come up with a new plan of attack," Tai added as he stood up. The others did the same and headed over to the exit of the apartment.

"Where are you going?" Kari asked as she left her room after quickly changing into a pink tank top and a denim skirt.

"We're going to TK's to speak with him," Tai answered as he slipped on his shoes. "Izzy has got some information he wants to show him. Are you coming?"

"Yeah," Kari sounded a little disappointed as she spoke. It suggested to the others that she wanted to be alone with her best friend. "I was already going to see him. I just needed to get changed before I went over to his apartment."

"That's good. When we get there, we can show you what's happening to File Island too," Tai replied. "And maybe we can help TK plan for his next battle."

"I'm not sure he'd like that," Kari informed the group in a concerned voice.

"Why not?" Matt asked as worry entered his tone too.

Kari pursed her lips and furrowed her brows. "Davis and Ken spoke to him earlier about fighting Neodevimon and I could tell he didn't want to talk about it. He's under a lot of stress at the moment and he doesn't want people trying to make him do things in a way he's not comfortable with."

"As you'd expect for someone in his position," Sora thought aloud in a caring manner.

"I think we shouldn't push him to come up with anything," Matt interjected. "TK could become very upset with us if we go about this the wrong way. Trust me I know. He didn't speak to me for a few weeks after I told Cody about his history with Devimon."

"I say we just remind him we are here to help if he needs us," Izzy placed his right hand on his chin as he thought. "And maybe try and give him a few ideas if any come into our heads."

"Does anyone know how much sleep he's been getting?" Sora asked as the thought came into her head. She looked to Matt for an answer. "I can imagine he's having nightmares about the whole situation."

It was Kari who responded instead. "Not a lot. It stops him from getting to sleep and his nightmares wake him up when he does finally get some sleep."

"Is that why you were on the phone at whatever time it was during the night?" Tai asked with a raised eyebrow. "And then you went off to meet him before breakfast too."

"Yeah," Kari answered quietly as her cheeks turned a light pink. She shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

"You two are having breakfast now? Not even Sora and I do that," Matt teased the younger girl, not knowing that she actually was in a secret relationship with his younger brother.

"Was it at Tiffany's?" Tai added with a smirk growing on his face as he watched his younger sister's blush deepen.

"_And I said what about breakfast at Tiffany's_," Matt started to sing as he made a mental note to tease TK about it later.

Sora jabbed Matt in the side with her elbow to make him stop. "Come on guys, we should be heading to TK's. This information is quiet important you know."

* * *

TK led his visitors to the lounge of the Takaishi apartment, offering them all a seat on the sofas. The blonde boy glanced over to Kari and gave her a questioning look as he took a seat on the edge of one of the sofas.

Kari recognised the look. She knew it was one asking how did everyone else ended up with her when they were planning to have some time alone. The brunette sat down on the sofa next to TK. She sighed, wanting to be alone with her boyfriend as well so they could share their feelings. Kari offered him an apologetic look that showed she had not intended it. She was relieved when he gave her a knowing and forgiving smile that let her know he now understood.

"Tai told me earlier that Kari had left for school really early today. In fact it was so early that nobody else in their apartment was up," Matt teased his brother and Kari as he took a seat next to Sora.

"I wonder who she could have been having breakfast with," Tai joined before both he and Matt started singing the lyrics to Breakfast at Tiffany's again.

Kari again gazed over to her right to TK, who gazed back at her. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and realised her face was probably the same rosy pink colour as her secret boyfriend's.

"They've been singing that all the way here," the brunette girl huffed to illustrate her annoyance to the older boys.

"Can we be serious for a minute?" Izzy interrupted as he opened his laptop and set it down on the wooden table in front of the sofas. The genius knelt down on the floor and began typing away so he could retrieve the information he was showing the others earlier.

"Sorry Izzy," Tai stopped his singing and lent against the wall that the TV was hung on.

"Thank you," Izzy said as he turned to face TK. "There's a growing problem in the Digital World."

"What do you mean?" TK asked with concern as the blush started to fade from his face and was replaced with a serious expression.

"Look at this," Izzy turned the laptop in the direction of the younger teen.

"That looks like a control spire map," said Kari as she recognised the software her friend was using.

"That's what we said," Matt interjected. "It isn't monitoring control spires though."

"No, it picks up the dark disturbances in the Digiworld …"

"That's the darkness of Neodevimon spreading," TK interrupted Izzy. The blonde wanted to get straight to the point. "How fast is it spreading?"

"I don't know," Izzy sighed. "I'll need a couple of days to work out a decent estimation. It has being growing sporadically so far."

TK groaned and placed his head in his palms. He ruffled his hair as he though over how he was going to solve the problem. "I'll go and face him tomorrow."

"Are you sure you're ready after last time?" Sora's face mirrored the concern in her voice.

"They were only scratches," the blonde teen reassured the older girl. "It looked worse than it was."

The group suddenly went silent as they heard the apartment door close and someone walk in.

"Hi TK, I'm home." It was Matt and TK's mother, Nancy, arriving home from work. "I see you've got guests around."

"Hi Mom," TK and Matt called in unison to their mother as they watched her enter the living area of the apartment.

"Hi Ms. Takaishi," the other Digidestined added as she waved to them all.

Nancy had a serious expression on her face as she looked over the teenagers sat around the laptop. "I want to know what's going on. I found one of TK's school shirts torn and covered in blood this morning before I went to work. There's something going on in the Digiworld, right?"

Looks of anxiety were shared between the Digidestined as they tried to work out who was going to respond.

"I was there and it looked worse than it was, Mom," Matt answered, trying to cover for his younger brother. "TK slipped and ended up sliding down a small rocky hill while we were looking for something in the Digiworld on Wednesday."

"Yeah," Tai added. "The hill wasn't that big and he only ripped his shirt and got a few small grazes."

Nancy sighed. She couldn't prove them wrong because she had no evidence to do so, but she knew something else was going on. "You know I worry when you kids go off into the Digital World to fight."

"We know, Mom," TK responded in a sombre tone.

She glanced to the floor before looking over to both of her sons sitting next to each other on the sofas. "Are you fighting something again? I just need to know."

"Yes," Matt replied simply after a brief silence where he exchanged glances with his brother.

"Please, just keep safe," Nancy spoke in a caring tone. "That goes for all of you. I don't want to come home one day and find out that one of you had got more than just scratches from falling."

"We will keep ourselves safe, Mom," TK reassured her. His mother nodded before going to her bedroom and leaving the teenagers to continue their business.

* * *

Ok guys, you know what to do now. Click that review button below and leave your comments. Thanks =D

And just so you know, the action returns in the next chapter.


	11. Neodevimon's Plan for Kari

**Chapter 11: Neodevimon's Plan for Kari**

Hi everyone. Wow, this is the halfway point for this fic. I have twenty two or twenty three chapters planned at the moment, although that could change as new ideas come into my head. I've also passed 50 reviews too :D I would like to thank all of you who reviewed the last chapter and I'd like to give a special thanks to those of you that regularly leave reviews. You guys give me the motivation I need to keep writing, thank you :D

I don't own Digimon or anything else copyrighted that I mention in this story. If I did Gabumon's fur would not be dry-clean only.

As I mentioned at the end of the last chapter … the action returns for the end of this one …

* * *

A few white, fluffy clouds floated aimlessly above Tokyo in the blue morning sky. The Sun shone brightly as yet another fantastic day for weather was forecasted. It was also the first day of the summer break for schools in Japan and most kids were determined to make the most of it. Some, however, didn't have that luxury.

Davis and Veemon strolled along a concrete sidewalk. Both of them weren't in any rush to get to their destination. Izzy had sent them an email the night before telling them the Digidestined were going to meet at his place at eleven and Davis had just assumed it would just be another conversation and nothing would come of it.

"I hate it when I can't fight," Davis sighed as he glanced over to Veemon. "I've never liked being on the bench."

"Same here," Veemon replied as he looked up at his partner. "I've always liked being in the middle of a battle and fighting alongside my friends."

"There's got to be a way to persuade TK to let us help him," Davis pursed his lips together as he began to think.

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea, Davis," Veemon interrupted the goggle head's thoughts. "As I said, I would like to fight alongside Patamon but if he and TK don't want us to then I'll not get involved unless I have to. It seems really personal to them."

"I think maybe we should remind him there's no I in team," the teen boy added.

"Why are you so desperate to fight?" Veemon's voice showed some concern. "I know you Davis, there's more to this than just being on the sidelines. This isn't about Kari again, is it?"

"No Veemon, it isn't about Kari," Davis sighed and scratched the back of his head as he tried to think of a way to word his reply. "I'm just worried about TK. You saw what happened last time he fought Neodevimon. What happens if Neodevimon does that again and kills TK next time?"

"TK said he wouldn't because Neodevimon wants to hurt him," the blue dragon quoted the Digidestined of Hope.

"What if Neodevimon gets desperate and decides just to kill TK?" Davis asked bluntly. "There's only Magnaangemon there to help him."

"Magnaangemon will keep TK safe, I have no doubt about that," Veemon confidently reassured the teen boy.

"There's more to my worries than just that," Davis continued, thinking he might as well share all of his concerns about the situation with Veemon. "Have you seen how tired TK's looked recently? He looks like he hasn't had any sleep. Also, have you seen how stressed he is? His stress levels are off the chart."

"I think most people would be stressed if they knew someone they hated was trying to kill everyone they cared about," the Digimon thought aloud, scratching the back of his head as he spoke.

Davis sighed, knowing there wasn't anything he could do to improve the situation. Then a thought suddenly occurred to him. "That's probably why Kari's been spending so much time with TK. I've noticed they're spending even more time together than usual, if that's possible."

"They're best friends," Veemon stated in a matter of fact tone and glanced over to his human partner.

"I know," the teenager rolled his eyes as he replied. "I also know they care about each other and in a way that's probably more than just friendship. So I think Kari has been trying to help him through this and she's probably the best person for the job."

* * *

All the Digidestined and their Digimon, except for Mimi and Palmon, sat around in Izzy's bedroom and were ready for the discussion to start. TK, Kari and their Digimon sat closely together on the floor next to Izzy's computer desk. Izzy was sat on his computer chair, typing away while Tentomon sat on the desk watching him. Tai, Matt, Sora and Joe perched on the edge of the blue bed with their Digimon sat by their feet. The group was completed by Davis, Ken, Yolei, Cody and their Digimon sitting on the floor near the door.

The bright sunlight and gentle breeze coming through the window did little to ease the apprehension hanging in the air. The Digidestined and Digimon sat quietly, waiting for Izzy to explain why they were all there.

"So, how are you going to defeat Neodevimon?" Asked the purple and white seal-like Digimon sat by Joe's feet. The Digimon, Gomamon, couldn't stand the silence any longer.

"With the Gate of Destiny," Patamon answered him before TK could. "If he makes one wrong move I'll put him in it."

"Just remember there's no I in team," Davis added in a serious tone as he looked over to his blonde friend. "We're here to help you if you need us."

"If you want our opinion or help with something then all you need to do is ask," Matt informed his brother.

"Right," Gabumon nodded. "Just ask and we'll be there in full force."

"Thanks guys," TK gave his friends a weak smile as he looked up and glanced around the room. He had been focusing himself for the imminent fight all morning. "But you know I can't let any of you come with me today for the reasons I've already said."

"We know, TK," Kari placed a reassuring hand on his left shoulder. She smiled as she gazed into his eyes to try and help him understand. The teen girl found herself really wanting to give her secret boyfriend a good luck kiss before his impending battle. "We're just saying that we're here to for you to talk to or to help you come up with battle plans."

"Are you going to the Digiworld today?" Cody asked, not knowing exactly why the meeting had been called. Izzy had sent around a message telling everyone to meet but had given no details.

"Yeah," TK replied in a voice that showed his focus.

Davis clenched his right fist and raised it into the air. "Give him hell, dude."

"I intend to," TK firmly stated as he slowly clenched his fists into balls as well.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Davis was perplexed as to why they were waiting. In his opinion the quicker they ended this then the better things would be. He could tell from the intensity radiating from TK that he felt the same way.

"Me," Izzy stopped typing on his laptop's keyboard and turned to face the group. "There is some information that I think you should know."

"What is it Izzy?" Joe asked his younger friend in a serious tone. Everyone's eyes fixed on the genius sitting in front of his computer desk.

"As some of you already know, Neodevimon appears to be coving File Island with darkness," Izzy moved the screen of his laptop into a position so all those who hadn't seen the map could see it.

"It's grown since yesterday," Tai noted as he looked at the black squares overlying the centre of File Island on the map.

"Yes it has but that's not what I wanted to tell you," the genius continued. "This darkness looks very similar to the darkness spread by the control spires. I don't know if the darkness will affect digivolution or not but so far it hasn't stopped Patamon from digivolving. So Ken, would you be able to help me analyse it to see if there could be an issue with digivolving?"

"Sure Izzy," Ken nodded and smiled at his older friend.

"Could this darkness be like the darkness from that Dark Ocean?" Yolei's worry was clear in her voice as she asked the question. "That stopped us from digivolving until we entered the light of the gate back to the Digiworld."

Kari, along with Ken and TK, shuddered at the mention of the Dark World. They all had bad memories of the place. It was one of the sources of evil that fuelled Ken's reign as the Digimon Emperor and its dark ruler had tried to make Kari his bride on two separate occasions.

"Gatomon was able to digivolve when Kari was first taken there," TK turned to face Kari and Gatomon as he spoke.

"Maybe only angel Digimon can digivolve in the darkness," Kari added as she was trying not to think about her two visits to the Dark World. "Or maybe it has something to do with our crests."

"Even more reasons for us to study it and try to understand it," Izzy lifted the index finger on his right hand as he spoke. He always did that when he was making a point. "We need to know if our Digimon are able to digivolve if something happens to TK."

"I agree," Ken nodded in addition to his reply. "We need to be sure this isn't another evil Digimon just covering the Digital World in darkness."

"He could be using it to try and lure others into the Digiworld besides myself and TK," Patamon pondered aloud as he placed his black paw under his chin in a thinking position.

"True, that is a possible theory too," Izzy replied. "TK, let me know if you find anything out when you fight Neodevimon."

The red haired boy turned back to his laptop and closed the map software. He replaced it with the window showing the digital gate to the Plateau of Infinity Mountain. Izzy then stood up and stepped to one side, moving his chair out of the way as he did so.

TK pulled himself to his feet. His body language was of a person deeply focused on a task, something that was helping him control his emotions. Patamon flew off the ground and hovered in the air above his partner's right shoulder. TK unclipped his green and white digivice from his belt and held the screen up of the gadget to the gateway shown on Izzy's laptop monitor.

"Be careful," Matt spoke in a voice that clearly showed he was concerned about his younger brother's safety. "We don't want any repeats of last time or anything worse."

"I'll keep myself safe," TK replied, glancing over to his brother on his left side and giving a nod. He then gazed over to his right at Kari. Their eyes met and conveyed that TK had no intention of anyone he cared about, including himself, getting hurt.

Kari stood up, keeping eye contact with her secret boyfriend as she did so. Her anxiety was clearly shown by her facial expressions. She placed her hand on TK's shoulder. "I know you will."

TK gave her a quick nod too before turning to face the laptop screen. Kari slid her hand off his shoulder as everyone moved back to make sure they wouldn't get caught by the light from the Digiport.

TK stared at the image on the other side of gate for a few seconds before he made his move. "Digiport open!"

Kari, along with the other Digidestined and the Digimon, watched the bright white light leave the monitor and engulf TK and Patamon. It took a few seconds before the light was sucked back into the screen, taking her friends with it.

The brunette teen sat back down where she was a minute ago. She found the feeling of anxiety was so much greater than it was last time she watched her love going off to fight his nemesis. Kari realised it was probably because of the last battle when TK came back with cuts from Neodevimon's claws. She found herself worrying that it might happen again or something even worse.

Kari's mind continued down its path. She didn't want to loose him, she loved him too much and they had only just gotten together. He was her hope and one of only a few people that could keep her going when times were rough. She needed him. The brunette felt she should be fighting alongside him as his best friend and love.

The teen girl sighed. She wished she was there with him right now but she respected TK's wishes. Kari knew rushing into the Digital World right now would damage his trust of her and that was something she definitely did not want to do. She glanced at the laptop and realised she did not know how many more times she could watch her love go and fight like this.

Kari reprimanded herself for thinking like that. She reassured herself that TK would be alright. He was strong and the battle would soon be over. She hoped she would only have to go through this one or two more times at most otherwise she didn't know what she would do.

The Digidestined of Light looked up and glanced around the room. Everyone was silent with concerned expressions etched across their faces. She found a strange relief in knowing that at least she wasn't the only one worried.

* * *

A light began to emit from the grey TV that sat on the cold, hard rock plateau at the top of Infinity Mountain. The light continued to grow in size and brighten as two figures appeared from it. The light started to die down, revealing TK and Patamon.

TK glanced to his partner with a serious expression etched on his face. He pointed his digivice in the direction of the rookie Digimon. "Digivolve."

Patamon nodded before the light of digivolution erupted from TK's green and white digivice. The Digimon's body was encased by the light as the process started. "Patamon digivolve to Angemon. Angemon digivolve to Magnaangemon!"

The light faded away and the eight winged angel hovered in the air with his purple energy sword powered up. He took up a stance that allowed him to be ready for the expected appearance of his foe.

TK looked around the peak, taking everything in. The strong wind made it bitterly cold and the darkness was clouding the sky. In fact the darkness had dimmed the light of the Digiworld's Sun so much that it felt like a constant grey dusk.

The blonde boy continued to gaze around. He noticed the Greek-like temples were still there and nothing had really changed since he last stood on that spot a few days ago. However, he could not see any sign of his nemesis. TK was relying on his sixth sense telling him the demon was close.

Suddenly a black porthole opened up in the ground in front of Magnaangemon and TK. Black tendrils spilled across the ground as the gateway widened so someone could come through. The spiked tips of Neodevimon's red torn wings were the first thing to show as the devil slowly rose out of the gate and into the air to confront his visitor.

TK could feel Neodevimon staring at him through his mask. The blonde teen was not about to falter. His eyes narrowed as he stared back into what he sensed were the eyes of the devil. TK gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, waiting for his foe to make a move.

The only sound heard was the howling of the wind over the jagged rock surface as the opponents remained as they were. TK continued to stare at his nemesis, watching and waiting as the standoff persisted.

"Nothing to say?" Neodevimon finally broke the silence. His tone was twisted and dared TK to mock him. It was clear he was trying to break the Digidestined of Hope's focus.

"Bring it," the blonde teen snarled, making sure his eyes remained fixed on the devil so his concentration didn't falter.

"You're not as talkative as you were last time," the demon let out a twisted laugh. "Did I hit a nerve when I caught you in my claw?"

TK remained silent as the wind picked up, blowing his hair and clothes to the right. He cocked his head slightly to the side before he spoke. "I'm fine. You'll have to do far worse than that if you want to hurt me."

"I know," Neodevimon replied in a tone suggesting he was thinking of something he enjoyed. "I could have killed you straightaway but where's the fun in that? I want to make you suffer. I want you to watch all of your friends die before I kill you."

"I won't give you the chance to do that," TK's voice was stern and showed his conviction.

The devil laughed again. "I see you've changed your strategy. You're no longer trying to enrage me. Is this a request from your friends? Are they worried about you?"

"We won't let you lay a hand on them," Magnaangemon replied as he pointed his sword in the direction of his opponent.

"This strategy won't work," Neodevimon taunted them. "You should have stuck with your old one. You know you will not be able to beat me if you keep doing this and then, sooner or later, your friends will have to come and help you. That's when I'll get them. I'll kill them all!"

TK growled. He wanted to taunt the devil in the same way that had nearly worked last time but he couldn't. The same strategy had got him injured and he had promised he wouldn't risk his life like that again. The teen boy pursed his lips before giving his response. "Get him."

"Aurora beam!" Magnaangemon fired a rainbow coloured energy beam from Excalibur in the direction of the Digimon opposing him.

The attack missed as Neodevimon flew higher into the air. The beam caused an explosion as it hit the roof of one of the smaller marble temples. The demon Digimon glanced back at the dust from the explosion before swooping down towards Magnaangemon. His right claw was out in front of him, opened and ready to attack. "Guilty claw!"

Magnaangemon flew upwards to meet the diving Digimon. The angel drew his sword back before swinging it forwards to block the metal claw. The two Digimon collided and stopped in midair. Magnaangemon's Excalibur pushed against the metal tips of Neodevimon's right hand as the foes entered a power struggle. Both of them placed their left hands on their right wrists to give them more strength. The Digimon groaned as they put more and more of their strength into the stalemate, hoping they could over power the other. Both Digimon eventually pushed off one another and glared at each other, knowing neither was going to win a test of shear strength.

Neodevimon swung his claw forwards again, only for Magnaangemon to parry it to one side. He then tried to use his left claw, thrusting it towards the chest of the angel. Magnaangemon blocked the attack again before thrusting his purple weapon in the direction of the devil's head. Neodevimon brought both his claws up to his face to protect himself and block the attack. The sword collided with the metal claws again. The Digimon pushed off each other and flew to a safe distance, not wanting to enter another test of strength.

The angel and demon stared at each other as they entered another moment of stalemate in their battle. Both backed off, creating more distance for other potential attacks. They drew their right hands back in preparation for their next move in this game of chess.

"Stun claw!" Neodevimon was first to move. He formed a dark cloud around his claw before launching it in the direction of his foe. The dark energy took the shape of his claw as it travelled straight towards the angel.

"Aurora beam!" Magnaangemon fired another multicoloured beam from Excalibur into the path of the oncoming attack. The light and dark attacks smash together causing an explosion which forced the Digimon to fly even further away from each other. They re-entered their stand off.

The silence continued for several minutes as the Digimon stared at one another. It was finally broken by Neodevimon's demented laugh. "I told you that you couldn't beat me with this tactic."

"We will beat you," TK growled in frustration at the current situation they were in.

"You won't," the devil retorted in his twisted tone. "You'll have to bring your friends with you. Then I will make you watch helplessly as I kill them one by one. All of them, apart from the Digidestined of Light, I have something special lined up for her."

TK's eyes widened as a mixture of shock and concern for Kari formed across his face. "W… What do you mean?"

Neodevimon laughed manically. "I hit a nerve there, didn't I? I know you have some special feelings for her. It would be a shame if I gave her to the ruler of the Dark World, wouldn't it?"

TK's eyes opened fully as a look of horror grew across his face. He found himself having to take several steps back.

"I would give her to Dragomon and let him have his way with her. I would make you watch the whole thing," the demon continued. "Dragomon has some strange attraction to her that I can't understand. I believe he wants to make her his bride."

TK narrowed his eyes as his whole body started to shake with rage. He clenched his fists so hard that his nails began to cut into his skin. His breathing deepened and his anger spiralled out of control. The teen boy's sapphire eyes stared right into Neodevimon's.

"I will never ever let you do that!" TK roared as he let his anger take full control. There was no way he was going to let his nemesis and some freak of a Digimon do that to his love, he had to protect her.

Neodevimon laughed tauntingly again. "You have no choice. I will do it because you will eventually have to bring her here to fight me."

"No chance!" TK roared in rage. "Get him!"

"Gate of Destiny!" Magnaangemon called the name of his most powerful attack as he started drawing a circle in the air with his energy sword. A solid gate formed from the trail of light left by the weapon. The gate rotated before the doors opened and it began to move in the direction of Neodevimon.

The devil laughed again as he flew away from the gate. "All your friends will die. I'll get the Digidestined of Light and give her to Dragomon. He will have so much fun. This is the beginning of your worst nightmare, Takeru."

TK growled with rage as he watched Neodevimon turn and fly off into the distance. The blonde stood there, breathing heavily as he tried to calm his anger and frustration. He knew he couldn't let Neodevimon win the war of words next time they met.

* * *

Well, there's another chapter finished. I know it was a relatively short one compared to the last few chapters I've published. I hope it is still a good one though. Please let me know your thoughts by clicking the review button below. Thanks :D


	12. Another Stalemate

**Chapter 12: Another Stalemate**

Hi everyone. Thanks again for the reviews of the last chapter. I always appreciate them.

I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted thing I mention. If I did Mummymon would be locked up for crimes against cooking. A whole bottle of vinegar in some strange soup or stew thing …

* * *

Patamon was perched on the edge of TK's bed, watching his partner with concern. He glanced over to the alarm clock, which was the only source of light in the dark room. It read 3:39am and the Digimon noted his partner's nightmare had been going on for longer than any other he'd ever notice TK having before. It was something he put down to the conversation between Neodevimon and TK during the battle yesterday.

The rookie Digimon's eyes returned to his partner as the blonde boy turned in his bed again. He saw the cold sweat pouring off TK's forehead. Patamon continued to watch as a look of pain formed across his friend's face.

TK's eyes suddenly shot wide open as he lurched forward. He gasped for air as he sat up in bed. The blonde boy quickly pulled his knees up and rested his folded arms and head on them. He was panting heavily as he wiped the sweat off his face with his green bed covers. TK remained in that position for several minutes as he tried to regain his breath and clear his mind of the images from his nightmare.

"That was the longest nightmare I can ever remember you having. What happened this time?" Patamon's concern was clear in his voice as he broke the silence. His sight remained fixed on his partner while he waited for a reply.

TK took a deep breath and composed himself. "He got you, Matt and most of our friends, killing them off one by one. Then Neodevimon got to Kari. I couldn't save her and he handed her to those shadow creatures that live in the Dark Ocean. I woke up after they carried her off to their world."

Patamon flew over to the blonde teen and landed on his left shoulder. He placed his right paw on the back of TK's head in a supportive gesture. "You know we'll never let that happen. We will keep them all safe."

"I don't know how much more of this I can take, Patamon," TK lifted his head off his knees and faced his Digimon. The blonde boy looked into the eyes of the rookie Digimon perched on his left shoulder. "We need to end this."

"I couldn't agree more," Patamon nodded in reply as a determined expression formed on his face.

"Right, we're going to face Neodevimon later today," TK's expression changed to match his partner's. "I'll email the others in the morning and let them know we'll be going to the Digital World later. Until then, you'd better get some rest. You'll need all the energy you can get for the battle."

"You had better get some rest too, TK," Patamon answered as he jumped off the teen boy's shoulder and back onto the bed. "You will need your strength too."

* * *

The Takaishi apartment was silent. Nancy, TK's mother, had gone to the shops to get food for the next week while TK sat with Patamon on one of the black and grey sofas. The teen boy and rookie Digimon were deep in thought about their approaching battle. They had sent emails around the Digidestined earlier about the battle and they were due to meet the others at Izzy's apartment in an hour.

The doorbell rang, making the occupants of the apartment jump as it broke the silence. TK stood up and strolled over to the door. The blonde boy turned the key in the lock and opened the main entrance. A hope filled and welcoming smile spread across his face as he stood back to allow the visitors into his home. "Hi Kari. Hi Gatomon. Come in."

"Thanks," Kari replied as she stepped into the apartment and watched Gatomon sprint off to Patamon. The brunette girl bent down to take her shoes off as TK closed the apartment door behind her.

TK watched his girlfriend place her pink and white footwear on the shoe rack and stand back up. Their eyes instantly made contact. TK studied her face with a look of concern. He could tell she had not been sleeping well from the tiredness shown by her mahogany orbs. The teen boy found his arms instinctively wrapping around her waist, pulling her closer to his body. Kari willing returned the embrace by wrapping her arms around his neck before she rested her head against his chest. TK rested his chin on her soft chocolate brown hair as the couple entered a comfortable silence that lasted several minutes.

Kari was first to move, lifting her head off her boyfriend's chest to gaze into his sapphire eyes. "Are we alone?" She whispered, hoping TK's mother was out.

"Yeah," TK grinned somewhat mischievously as he started to close the distance between his and Kari's lips. He opened his mouth and closed his eyes, an action that was mirrored by his girlfriend.

The couple's lips met, giving them an adrenaline rush and a pleasure they couldn't get enough of. Their soft lips glided back and forth over each other's as they opened and closed their mouths. They began breathing through their noses as they continued their kiss. The show of affection lasted several minutes before the teenagers reluctantly pulled their lips apart. TK found that he was staring back into Kari's eyes and noticed the tiredness in her orbs again.

"Did you sleep well last night?" He asked with his concern clear in his tone. Thoughts of what Neodevimon was threatening to do with Kari flashed through his mind. He started to worry that his girlfriend was being bothered by the Dark World again. TK remembered she had nightmares when the creatures of that evil realm tried to take her in the past and now he was scared they were after her again.

Kari sighed before she responded. "No, I had another nightmare."

"What was it about?" TK quickly asked as his worry was clearly increasing. His embrace of the teen girl instinctively tightened as he slowly began to panic.

"It was about you and Neodevimon. It was like the one I told you about on Friday," Kari answered truthfully. She had noticed the teen boy's tenor and her expressions were changing to match his. She knew something was bothering him. "Why? What's wrong, TK?"

TK paused, realising he was digging himself into a hole. The blonde teen now knew he would have to tell Kari about his conversation with Neodevimon yesterday. He knew he would have to tell his love what his nemesis would do to her if he captured her. TK decided to tell her the truth and that hiding it might cause problems later, especially if those creatures from the Dark World called for her again.

The teen boy took a deep breath and composed himself. A cold chill ran down his spine as he thought about the Dark Ocean. "Yesterday Neodevimon said he would give you to those creatures in the Dark World if he catches you. He said he would give you to their leader, Dragomon, who wants to do disgusting things to you."

Kari shuddered at the thought of that evil world and the creatures that lived there. Her embrace of TK tightened and an anxious look formed across her face. "Neodevimon is just playing mind games with you, TK. He's playing mind games with both of us."

"But what if he's telling the truth?" TK asked as he continued to stare into his girlfriend's eyes, noticing the growing concern in them.

"It doesn't matter," Kari stated firmly and confidently. "It won't happen. I will not let it happen and I definitely know you will not let it happen. You have always protected me and you will protect me, and everyone else, this time as well. Takeru, you are my hero and love and that is something that will never change. I know you will always keep me safe."

TK could see the brunette's emotions showing through her facial expressions as she spoke. He pulled her body fully against his as he placed his left cheek against her right cheek. They both squeezed each other tightly as Kari rested her chin on the blonde's shoulder.

"I promise I will keep you safe," TK spoke into Kari's ear in a soft, caring whisper. "I love you too much to let anything happen to you, Hikari."

"Just remember, it would be my worst nightmare if something were to happen to you," Kari whispered back. "I couldn't bare it if you did something similar to Wizardmon."

Gatomon and Patamon sat on the sofa, watching their human partners. An air of rage was emanating from Gatomon as she thought over what Patamon had just let her know. The rookie Digimon had just told her what Neodevimon planned to do with Kari if he could capture her.

"First he wants to hurt you and TK and now he wants to hurt Kari as well," the feline Digimon snarled as she clenched her yellow paws into fists. "This is getting very personal."

* * *

Izzy sat on his desk chair, staring at the usual monitors of both his laptop and computer. He was typing away on both machine's keyboards as he attempted to calculate how fast the darkness created by Neodevimon was spreading. Tentomon sat on the genius' bed, munching away on snacks as he waited for the other Digidestined and Digimon to start arriving.

There was a soft knock on the bedroom door. Izzy stopped typing and spun around to face the door. "Come in."

A silky brown haired girl of a similar age to the Digidestined genius stepped into the room. She was wearing a white spaghetti strap top, which covered her ample sized breasts, and light blue jeans that hugged her hips. Her soft brown eyes matched the colour of her long hair that reached down to the base of her back. She was followed in by a green plant Digimon that walked upright on two root-like legs. The Digimon had a pink flower growing out of the top of her head which appeared to take the role of hair.

"Mimi, Palmon," Izzy's voice showed how happy he was to see his friends again as he stood up.

"Izzy," Mimi ran over to the shorter boy and pulled him into a tight hug. Her right arm wrapped around his back as she placed her left hand on the back of his head. "It's so good to see you again."

Izzy froze for a second as his mind processed what was happening. He wasn't use to a girl running up and hugging him like this and as a result a slight blush began to form across his cheeks. Izzy snapped out of his minor trance and wrapped his arms around his friend's back, returning the embrace. "It's good to see you too, Mimi."

The two fifteen year olds remained in their hug for a couple of minutes, happy to see each other again. Although they talked a lot over the internet, the two friends had not seen each other face to face for months and wanted to make the most of this moment.

"How are you?" Izzy bombarded Mimi with the question as they ended the embrace.

"I'm great, thanks. It's so good to be home. I like America but Japan, well Odaiba, is just my home," Mimi joyfully replied as she took a seat on Izzy's bed.

"Great," the teen boy smiled as he sat back down on his computer chair. "How's the new apartment?"

"It's huge, Iz," the brunette answered, spreading her arms out wide to signify the point. "You'll have to come and see it as soon as I've unpacked everything. We can have a house warming party with all the Digidestined and Digimon once it's sorted."

"Sure," Izzy replied before his mood suddenly dropped and he glanced over to his laptop monitor. "It will probably have to wait until Neodevimon is defeated though."

Mimi's happy frame of mind changed to one of concern as her friend mentioned Neodevimon. A serious expression formed across her face. "Yeah, I can't believe he's back. I thought that he was gone for good when Angemon defeated him five years ago."

"We all did, Mimi," Tentomon replied as he glanced up at the human sitting next to him. "But, as we learnt from that battle, Digimon can be reconfigured."

"How are TK and Patamon taking it?" Palmon asked as she looked over to Izzy.

"Not too well," the red haired boy responded as an expression of concern crossed his face. "It doesn't help that Neodevimon is threatening to kill us all in front of TK to make him suffer."

"I can see why TK doesn't want us to go into the Digital World and fight alongside him," Mimi sighed and furrowed her brows.

The doorbell of the Izumi apartment rang, interrupting the conversation. The fifteen year olds heard Izzy's mother welcome someone in before the other guests made their way to the bedroom. TK, Kari, Patamon and Gatomon stepped through the open door and into Izzy's room.

"TK, Kari," Mimi greeted them happily as she jumped up and sprinted over to them.

"Mimi!" The younger Digidestined replied in unison as Mimi placed her arms over their shoulders and pulled them both into a hug. The younger teens returned the embrace by placing their arms around their friend's back. They also used it as an excuse to place an arm around each other's backs.

"How are you?" Kari asked the older brunette as the three-way hug continued.

"Great and you two?" Mimi asked back, squeezing them a little tighter as she waited for a reply.

"As good as can be expected," Kari answered in a tired tone that made Mimi pull back from the hug and gaze at the expressions on her friends' faces.

She noticed the focused look on TK's face and the concerned expression on Kari's. Despite being away for such a long time, Mimi could tell that this battle was taking its toll on both of them.

TK gave the older Digidestined girl a weak smile. "I'm as good as can be expected too. I just want to get this fight over with."

Mimi nodded in agreement and stepped aside. A serious expression formed on her face. "I couldn't agree more. We can talk when you get back."

"Yeah," the blonde boy agreed as he walked over to Izzy's computer. "Is everything ready, Izzy?"

The red haired boy stood up and moved to one side. "Yes it is, but we are still waiting for Tai, Matt, Sora and Davis to turn up. I guess that would not stop you from going right now though."

TK shook his head. "No, I have to get this over with."

"Ok," Izzy sighed before he and the others moved to a safe distance from his computer. "The gate to Infinity Mountain is set up on my laptop."

TK and Patamon approached the yellow and white portable computer. The blonde teen held his green and white digivice out in front of him and readied himself to go to the Digital World. "Digiport open!"

The teens and Digimon watched as the white light sprung from the laptop screen and surrounded their friends, taking them to the Digiworld. Mimi noticed a mixture of concern and hurt form on Kari's face as TK was sucked into the other realm.

* * *

The random TV screen sitting on the cold rock surface of Infinity Mountain glowed once again as it deposited TK and Patamon on the other side. The freezing wind once again ruffled TK's clothes and hair as he pulled himself to his feet. The blonde boy noticed the dark cloud had increased in size and the light was definitely dimmer than yesterday. He also noticed the evil power he could sense had increased as well.

Patamon took it upon himself to digivolve without needing to be told to. "Patamon digivolve to Angemon. Angemon digivolve to Magnaangemon!"

The white light of digivolution died down and revealed Magnaangemon. The white robed angel Digimon moved his right arm and positioned it in front of him. The purple beam sword, Excalibur, extended out from the attachment on his right wrist as the Digimon of Hope entered a fighting stance.

"Back so soon?" Neodevimon's twisted, taunting voice echoed across the mountain top as he flew out from behind the largest white marble temple.

TK's eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists as the grey and red skinned demon landed in front of Magnaangemon. "Yeah," TK growled through gritted teeth. "Let's get this over with."

Neodevimon laughed manically. "I guess I really did hit a nerve when I told you about my plans for the Digidestined of Light. There can be no other reason for you wanting me dead so quickly."

The teen boy clenched his teeth as his nemesis exposed his weakness for Kari. "I'm not going to let you or the Lord of the Dark Ocean near her."

"You'll have to watch as he has his way with your precious Hikari," the demon continued to taunt.

A smirk formed across TK's face as he realised a flaw in his foe's plans that he could exploit to his advantage. "You'll have to kill me to get to her. So, how are you going to be able to get to her when you can't kill me?"

Neodevimon paused, realising he was beginning to lose the advantage in the mind games. "You will need the Digidestined of Light to beat me and that's when I'll get her."

"We won't need Kari and Angewomon to beat you. We've come close to beating you already and Magnaangemon will beat you by himself. Neodevimon, you are frightened of us, why else did you bring an entire army of Digimon to fight us?" TK began to taunt the devil as he stared straight into the monster's eyes.

The blonde teen knew he was taking a risk by returning to his taunting tactic which had caused him to receive a few cuts from Neodevimon's claws last week. He knew from that particular battle that this plan would make his foe angry and, therefore, let his defences down. However, TK also knew that if he was injured again then Kari and Matt would kill him before Neodevimon could. In fact they would probably kill him if they found out he was taunted the demon again. The teen boy shifted his bodyweight and entered a position where he could sprint or jump away from any attack sent in his direction.

"That army was a plot to make you bring your friends with you so I could get them," Neodevimon snorted as hints of rage entered his tenor.

"That proves it," TK cocked his head to the side as his smirk grew. "You needed help to beat us and your plans backfired. You can't get to my friends on your own because you're too weak to beat us."

"I am not weak," the demon roared as his anger rose. "I will beat you!"

"Then do it now," TK taunted. He knew he was taking a huge gamble that would result in the others coming to the Digital World if something went horribly wrong. "What are you waiting for?"

Neodevimon turned his attention to Magnaangemon and drew his right claw back. A black mist-like aura formed around his serrated metal claws. He then plunged his arm forwards and in the direction of the angel Digimon. "Stun claw!"

The black aura took the shape of Neodevimon's claw as it cascaded towards its target. Magnaangemon flew into the air and barrel rolled over the attack before thrusting his right arm out in front of him. The angel Digimon dived towards the demon with Excalibur at full power and stretched out in front of him.

Neodevimon used his legs and wings to push himself off the ground and into a collision course with his angel foe. The devil threw his claw forwards to block the oncoming attack. "Guilty Claw."

Magnaangemon's purple beam sword and Neodevimon's metal claws collided with sparks flying from the powerful impact. The two evenly matched Digimon found they were in a test of shear strength again. They both grasped their wrists with their left hands to add extra strength and support to their right arms as the demon and angel tried to overpower each other. The result was the same as in their last encounter. They used their strength and pushed off each other before backing off to a safe distance. The Digimon hovered in the air, staring at one another in silence.

"Are you not as powerful as you thought?" TK taunted, breaking the silence of the battlefield. "Are you going be a coward and run off again?"

"I'm not going anywhere," Neodevimon growled as he tried to formulate a plan to beat the Digidestined and Digimon of Hope.

"Gate of Density," Magnaangemon called out the name of his most powerful attack. The angel Digimon moved his purple energy sword in a perfect clockwise circle, leaving a trace of light behind it. The golden gateway began to take a solid form and started to rotate. The ancient text covered doors opened to reveal the place of no return for any Digimon that entered it. The Gate of Destiny started to float towards Neodevimon.

The devil flew away from the gate in a circular motion that brought him back face to face with his opponent without the weapon in the way. He drew his claw back again for yet another attack. "Guilty claw."

Magnaangemon again blocked the attack with Excalibur, forcing the two Digimon into another test of strength. They placed their spare hands on their wrists again as they tried to overpower each other. The Gate of Destiny slowly began to move into position behind Neodevimon as Magnaangemon tried to keep him locked in battle.

Neodevimon realised what was going to happen if he stayed in that position and flew upwards into the air before moving to a safe distance away from the Gate of Destiny and Magnaangemon. The devil slowly lowered to the ground, trying to recompose himself after the near miss.

Magnaangemon spun the gate around while he powered up Excalibur. He pointed the sword in the direction of his foe and fired a multicoloured energy beam towards the demon before he could land on the ground. The angel Digimon knew his human partner would have been vulnerable to his nemesis' Guilty Claw attack if the devil had landed.

The demon Digimon flew into the air, just avoiding the attack as it hit the surface underneath him. The attack caused an explosion that left a small crater in the hard rock. Neodevimon flew out of the cloud of dust created by the attack and took up a position across the plateau from his rival. He realised the Gate of Destiny was moving towards him again.

"We shall see each other again," Neodevimon growled, spinning in midair and flying off into the distance.

"You're a coward!" TK yelled as he watched his nemesis fly off over the forests that surrounded Infinity Mountain.

Magnaangemon closed the gate before it dissolved into nothing. The angel Digimon powered down to his rookie form as Neodevimon was long gone. Patamon flew over to TK, who was walking towards the TV screen and their route back to Earth.

"Please can you not tell Kari or Matt about me taunting Neodevimon again?" TK asked his Digimon partner as the rookie landed on his shoulder. "They would kill me if they found out I was doing it again, especially after I was hurt the last time I did it."

"Ok, I wasn't going to tell them anyway," Patamon replied. "Just don't get yourself hurt, TK. Only do it when he's in the air so I can make sure he can't land and use his Guilty Claw attack on you."

TK nodded before unclipping his green and white digivice from his belt and holding it up to the TV that sat out of place on the plateau of the mountain. The screen emitted a bright white light around TK and Patamon, transporting them back to Earth.

* * *

There we go, another chapter published for you all with a bit of Koumi in there for all the Koumi fans. Please click the review button below and leave your thoughts =D


	13. The Zone of Darkness Part 1

**Chapter 13: The Zone of Darkness Part 1**

Heya everyone. First of all, I would like to thank all of you who reviewed the last chapter. Thanks guys =D

And now the disclaimer. I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted thing I mention in this fic. If I did the final destiny stone would definitely not be found inside a giant soup pond. It would be found inside a giant beef stew lake so it would be better disguised.

Anyway, enough of my rambling and on with the story …

* * *

All the Digidestined sat around in Izzy's bedroom. Tai, Matt, Sora and Mimi sat on Izzy's bed with their Digimon by their feet. Joe, with Gomamon sitting on his lap, sat on a pine chair that Izzy had brought into the room and placed next to his bed. TK, Kari, Davis, Cody and Yolei were sat on the opposite side of the room. The younger Digidestined and their Digimon were sitting on Izzy's perfectly clean sky blue carpet and everyone was waiting for the meeting to begin.

It was early in the morning on Monday and Tai and Izzy had woken up all the Digidestined to get them all there for this important meeting. Izzy said that he and Ken had some important information which they had found out and needed to share with the others. The two teen boys stood next to Izzy's computer desk, ready to part with the information now the whole group was present.

"As you all know, Ken and I have been studying the zone of darkness that is slowly enveloping File Island," Izzy began as he pointed with his index finger to the map on his computer. "We already know Neodevimon is the creator of it and that the area it is encompassing is spreading everyday. At the current rate we will only have about two weeks until it covers all of File Island."

"We have also found out that the darkness is very similar to the darkness created by the control spires," Ken took over from his fellow genius. "I don't know if it is going to affect our Digimon's ability to digivolve but Patamon has not had a problem digivolving so far."

"There is a bigger problem though," Izzy raised his right index finger as he spoke. "Cast your minds back to the reason Malomyotismon had Ken make the control spires in the first place."

"Weren't they meant to weaken the defences of the Digital World?" Matt asked. He looked at the genius' as he waited for their answer.

"Yes," Ken replied. His actions as the Digimon Emperor were clearly on his mind and made him respond in a sombre tone.

"That means Neodevimon's darkness could be weakening the barriers of the Digital World," Izzy shared his theory with the rest of the group.

"Why would he want to do that?" Agumon pondered aloud as the whole group thought of possible reasons.

"The only reason Izzy and I can think of is that he wants to come here and get us on Earth," Ken spoke in a serious tone knowing exactly what that would mean for the Digidestined's and Digimon's safety. "It would make sense with his current plans for getting revenge on TK."

TK nodded his agreement with Ken's theory. He clenched his fists in a show of determination. "Don't worry. I won't let him come to our world."

"We'll stop him before that happens," Patamon added to his partner's statement in a confident tone. "We are getting closer to beating him every time we fight."

"There is another worry," Tai interrupted and gained the attention of the whole group. "What if this zone of darkness does stop our Digimon from digivolving?"

"I don't think it will, Tai," Kari answered her brother's question. "Patamon has managed to digivolve when he and TK have fought Neodevimon, so it shouldn't have an effect on the rest of us."

"What if Neodevimon is letting Patamon digivolve?" Tai asked as a concerned expression formed on his face.

"Maybe it is something to do with the Crest of Hope being able to overpower the darkness," Gatomon added her opinion. "If that is the case then I might be able to digivolve in the area of darkness covering File Island because the Crest of Light is kin to the Crest of Hope."

"Are you suggesting that you and Patamon will be able to digivolve in the dark area but the rest of us can't?" Gabumon asked in a worried tone.

"Yes because of Kari's and TK's crests being able to overpower the darkness and, therefore, allowing Patamon and me to digivolve," Gatomon replied. "It could be just like when I digivolved to Angewomon in that Dark World when TK, Patamon and I went to save Kari."

"There's one problem with your theory, Gatomon," Mimi interrupted the feline Digimon. "Us original Digidestined no longer have our crests. We gave them up to protect the Digiworld, remember?"

"The power of our crests still remains within each of us," TK replied, making a few of the Digidestined and Digimon gasp in surprise. "Or at least there is still some power left inside Kari and I."

"What do you mean?" Sora inquired. She was definitely shocked at this revelation. "How do you know that you have the power from your crests still inside you?"

"They can sense it," Ken answered for them, rubbing the back of his neck as he did so. "They can sense light and darkness because of their crests in the same way I can sense light and darkness because of the dark spore inside me."

"The light kind of flows through us and it's bound to us in a way so that we can never fully remove it," TK tried to help the others understand.

"Yeah," Kari looked at her fellow Digidestined nervously. She was never comfortable discussing the powers of her crest with anyone other than TK, Gatomon and Patamon. "The light inside me was how I managed to free Andromon when he had a dark ring on him. That power came from the Crest of Light."

"The crests are part of us. Do you guys remember our battle with Apocalymon five years ago?" TK received nods from the group as he continued. "We had our crests destroyed and we thought our Digimon wouldn't be able to digivolve as a result. However, we realised the power of the crests comes from our personal traits and we have never lost our traits. That means we can call on the power of our crests in times of despair as long as we keep our traits strong."

"They are right," Izzy added as he thought over what was being said and came to his conclusion. "The power of the crests comes from within us, so in theory we can always call up on them."

"I didn't realise I still had the power from the Crest of Hope within me until I went to save Kari from the Dark Ocean. There I could sense the darkness and evil of that world like I could sense the darkness of the evil Digimon we fought in our first adventure," TK continued to fill the other Digidestined in.

"I'm theorising that our crests must have stayed dormant within us after we used our power to protect the Digital World and they were fully reenergised when we received the power from the Digi-core Gennai brought to us," Izzy added to the younger teens' idea.

"Wait," Yolei stopped them as a thought came into her head. She pointed at Patamon and Gatomon with her index finger as she asked them a question. "If that is the case, why weren't you two able to digivolve while Ken was the Digimon Emperor?"

"It could be because I used the dark digivice to power the control spires and stop Digimon from digivolving," Ken answered as he pointed at his black and grey digivice. "Neodevimon's darkness wouldn't be using a digivice so Patamon can digivolve without a problem in this zone of darkness."

"Then the rest of our Digimon should be able to digivolve in the area covered by darkness too," Mimi thought aloud. "They managed it when we were fighting the Dark Masters."

"This brings us back to Tai's original point," Izzy responded as he placed his right hand on his chin in a thinking position. "We don't know if this darkness affects digivolving or not."

"We need to find out," Tai said in an authoritative tone as he moved to the edge of Izzy's bed.

"No," TK replied firmly. The blonde boy glared at Tai. "I don't want anyone going into the Digital World because Neodevimon will attack you."

"We need to find out if our Digimon can digivolve in this zone of darkness around Infinity Mountain," Tai responded, not backing down and meeting his younger friend's stare. "We need to know if we can go in there and save you if anything happens to you or Patamon."

"Tai is right, TK," Matt added as he pushed himself into a perching position on the edge of Izzy's bed. "We have to know. Tai and I will go with you to a spot on File Island that isn't covered by the darkness. Patamon can digivolve straightaway to make sure we are safe and either Gabumon or Agumon can digivolve as well to add extra cover for us. Then we walk into the area covered by darkness and the Digimon that hasn't digivolved will try and do so there. That will prove one of the theories correct. Then we won't have to go into the Digital World again and we will leave Neodevimon for you, knowing that we can save you if we need to do so."

"I'm going too," Kari stated bluntly. "I need to know if Gatomon can digivolve in that darkness too. It will prove her theory right or wrong."

"No," TK sounded worried as he spun his head around to the left. His sapphire eyes met Kari's mahogany brown orbs. "I don't want you in any danger. I don't want any of you in danger."

Kari gazed back into TK's eyes as she placed her right hand on his left shoulder. Her concern for him was clear from the expression on her face. "We need to know, TK. If Gatomon is right then I'm the only person who could save you if you got hurt or help you if there was a problem. Please TK, let us try it."

"You and Patamon will be there to keep us safe," Tai added in a matter of fact tone. "I have no doubt of that."

TK continued to gaze into Kari's eyes, reading her feelings about the idea. He sighed in defeat, Kari, Matt and Tai were right. He understood their point of view as he knew he would feel the same way about any of them if the roles were reverse. "Fine but only Matt, Tai, Kari and their Digimon can come. I don't want the rest of you to needlessly put yourselves in danger."

"We understand, TK," Sora gave her friend a weak smile that showed she understood his view of the whole situation.

"Izzy, find a gate on File Island that isn't in the zone of darkness," Tai gave his order as he and Matt pushed themselves up off the bed and got to their feet.

Izzy turned to his laptop and began using the map to search for digital gates around the island. TK, Kari and their Digimon stood up too as they waited for their friend to complete his search.

Kari turned to face TK. She could see the anxiety written across his face. The teen girl knew her secret boyfriend was definitely uncomfortable and extremely worried about the plan. "It will be ok, TK. We'll get in there and get out as quickly as possible. I doubt we will even see Neodevimon."

"I hope you're right," TK replied in a nervous tone as he watched Izzy select a gate for them to go through.

"I've found a gate that opens in the Forest of File Island. It is on a path that will lead you into the dark zone when you are ready to enter it." Izzy showed the group the gate before he and Ken backed away from the monitor. "Use the maps on your D-Terminals to find out when you are inside the zone of darkness."

Kari, TK, Tai, Matt and their Digimon partners stood in front of the laptop screen with their digivices held out in front of them.

"Digiport open," TK reluctantly issued the command to his digivice. The bright white light sprung from the monitor and surrounded the Digidestined and Digimon, pulling in those who were planning to go to the other world.

* * *

The Sun of the Digital World shone brightly over the lush green forest of File Island or at least it did over this area. The Sun heated and lit the area, giving it a vibrancy that started disappearing from the forest the closer it was to Infinity Mountain. The areas of forest closer to the peak did not see any of the light which the further out zones saw due to a large black cloud hovering in the sky. This cloud emitted from the Plateau of Infinity Mountain and blocked out most of the Sun's rays. It was the physical incarnation of File Island being slowly covered in darkness by Neodevimon.

A random grey TV sitting next to a path that led into this dark area began to glow white. The screen emitted a beam of bright light onto the grass floor of the path and deposited the beings it was bring to the Digital World in a tangled heap. The bodies unravelled themselves and stood up to survey their surroundings.

"I don't like this at all," TK commented nervously as he glanced around. He stared at the tall lush green trees and undergrowth that surrounded the path on both sides. He gave them a disapproving look. "These trees are too tall and too thick. We wouldn't be able to see Neodevimon coming until he was right on top of us and then it would be too late."

"You and Kari can sense him and the darkness can't you?" Tai asked as he moved his vision from the dark cloud hanging in the sky to the younger teen.

"Yes but you can't," TK's disapproving glare was now focus on Tai.

"We're relying on you to tell us when he is coming," the older teen replied as his eyes locked with the blonde's. "We are not turning back now."

"Fine," TK growled before turning to Patamon, who was hovering above his left shoulder. "Patamon, you better digivolve."

Patamon nodded before the bright light of digivolution emanated from his partner's green and white digivice and surrounded his body. "Patamon digivolve to Angemon. Angemon digivolve to Magnaangemon."

The eight winged angel hovered in the air above the trees, surveying the area to make sure it was safe for the Digidestined to travel through. After a careful study of his surroundings, Magnaangemon turn to the teens and the other Digimon before landing in front of them. "This area is safe at the moment but I still think one of you should digivolve just in case Neodevimon does show up."

"I need to see if I can digivolve inside the zone of darkness," Gatomon was first to reply, looking up at the angel as she gave her answer. "That means I can't digivolve here."

"Gabumon, you digivolve," Matt turned to his dog-like Digimon partner and removed his digivice from his belt. He held the device out in front of him, ready for the process to begin.

"You'll have to try and digivolve in the zone of darkness, Agumon," Tai said as he glanced at his partner. The orange lizard gave him a nod before both of them returned their eyes to Gabumon.

The digivolution light spread out from Matt's old white digivice and surrounded his Digimon partner. "Gabumon warp digivolve to Metalgarurumon!"

Gabumon's body rapidly expanded in the white light as he started transforming into his mega level. His body took the form of a wolf on all fours with large, metallic claws at the end of each limb. Golden wings protruded out from the wolf's back and became tipped by blades as missile launching bays formed at their bases. His tail took on the same colour as a blade formed at the end that appendage too. The white light died down to reveal Metalgarurumon's colour. He was a metallic blue with gold on his stomach, wings and tail and he retained the emblem on his chest that was there when he was in his rookie form.

Tai pulled his black and grey D-Terminal out of his pocket and began pressing the necessary buttons to find what he was looking for. He found the program he was looking for after going through several of the programs Izzy had installed on the D-Terminals for the Digidestined to use. A map appeared on the screen with a grid overlying it. It was the same map Izzy used on his laptop to show the areas covered by darkness.

The device indicated the group were in a white square, which represented an area not affected by the darkness of Neodevimon. Next to it and further down the path towards Infinity Mountain was grey squares. These squares showed the areas that the darkness was partially affecting. The black squares finally came after the grey squares. This was the area the group were now going to have to enter, the zone covered by Neodevimon's darkness.

"Let's get this over with," Tai stated as he turned and started to head down the path towards the darkness marked by the black squares on his map. It wasn't like he needed the map to find his way with the large black cloud looming ominously in the distance over Infinity Mountain. The only reason he had it out was to confirm when they were inside the zone of darkness.

Magnaangemon and Metalgarurumon took to the air as Tai, Matt and Agumon took the lead and started along the grassy path. TK, Kari and Gatomon followed on a short distance behind, using their sixth sense to try and find Neodevimon if he were to show up. Magnaangemon and Metalgarurumon took up a position over the Digidestined as they also kept a constant lookout for any danger.

Both TK and Kari glanced towards each other as they followed their older brothers down the path. Both the teens' faces clearly showed their apprehension about the whole situation. Thoughts of what might happen started running through their minds as the secret couple's eyes remained fixed on one another. The lovers closed the distance between their bodies as they walked, wanting to make sure they could help each other if something did happened.

TK felt Kari's hand brush against his, making his instincts takeover his actions. The blonde clasped his love's soft hand and entwined his fingers with hers. She returned the gesture by gripping his left hand tightly to let him know that nothing bad would happen to them. Their apprehension increased further as they thought about what could happen if their brothers, who were walking only metres in front of them, caught them both holding hands.

The couple pushed those thoughts to one side, thinking their show of care and support towards each other was more important right now. They could always quickly break the contact between them if their brothers glanced back.

The teens returned their concentration to the darkness they were walking into. The younger Digidestineds' sixth senses were telling them they were getting closer and closer to a source of great evil with every step they took. This was confirmed when they glanced up to the sky. The group were slowly making their way under the thickening dark cloud that emanated from the giant mountain at the centre of the island.

The tension and apprehension hung thickly in the air as the Digidestined continued towards the zone of darkness. They were all on full alert. Their eyes darted from side to side then back in front with every step taken. All of them knew the tall thick forest provided the perfect opportunity for an ambush and the slowly dwindling light was definitely not helping matters.

Tai and Matt quickly glanced down to their D-Terminals to see how far they had left to travel. The red spot, which marked their location, still had them placed in a grid square that was coloured in grey with a couple more grey areas still to go through before the group reached the closest black square.

Tai's D-Terminal suddenly beeped, making the whole group jump. The sound signalled that the leader of the Digidestined had received an email from someone but the unexpected nature had caught them off guard and added to their anxiety. Tai took a deep breath to recompose himself before opening the message.

"It's an email from Izzy," he informed the others as they began to walk down the path again. "He says there is a TV in the first dark square that we are heading towards which will allow us to return home. He also says to use the software he installed on our D-Terminals to find it."

Tai and Matt glanced at each other. They had completely forgotten about that piece of software being on their D-Terminals. The older boys opened it up and several yellow dots appeared on their device's screens.

"Please tell me you were already using that," TK's voice showed even more concern than before. He knew about the software because the younger Digidestined used it all the time to find gateways home but the older kids rarely used it because they normally had one of the younger members with them.

"Err," Matt didn't really want to answer the question as he and Tai chose not to glance back to their younger siblings due to their embarrassment. "We have now."

TK growled in frustration and was about to reply when Kari stopped him. She squeezed his hand tightly as she glanced over to him.

"They're not used to using their D-Terminals in this way like us," the brunette tried to calm her boyfriend down. "At least they've got the software running now."

TK furrowed his eyebrows and gritted his teeth as the group returned to their silence while they continued further under the black cloud that hung above their heads. Matt and Tai maintained their watch, glancing side to side before taking brief glances at the screen of their D-Terminals. They saw the red dot indicating them changing from a grey grid square to another grey grid square, signifying they were getting closer to danger and their goal. The older teens watched as the maker showed them entering the last grey square before the area of the map covered by black.

"We're nearly there," Matt announced to the group. "We've got just one more grid square to go."

The thick cloud was now blocking out most of the light, making it feel more like dusk than the bright sunny morning that the rest of File Island was seeing. The anxiety thickened along with the cloud. Everyone was now completely on edge, ready for an attack at any moment. Tai and Matt kept glancing at their D-Terminal screens to check on the positioning of the red dot that donated where they were. It was slowly moving closer and closer to the black area on the map.

"I can sense the darkness increasing," Kari announced nervously. She released TK's hand, expecting someone to look in their direction.

"Me too," TK added as he placed his hand behind his back and then furrowed his brow again. "How much further do we have to go until we are in the dark zone?"

"We've got to be nearly there," Kari used her sixth sense to make an educated guess.

"We are nearly there. It's just a bit further down this path," Tai replied, not looking back at the younger teens. "The differences between the white, grey and black zones aren't as clear cut in reality as it is on this map. It isn't like there is a line or something on the ground. We need to make sure we are inside the zone of darkness before our Digimon attempt to digivolve."

TK and Kari pulled out their D-Terminals as the Digidestined entered another anxious silence. The younger teens opened up their maps and watched as the red dot crossed the gridline between the final grey square and the first black square. There was no sudden change in the power of the darkness or any line on the ground. Both the Digidestined of Hope and Light knew the increase in the evil coming from Infinity Mountain was gradational and that the map only showed the average amount of darkness in that area.

The evil aura in the area suddenly increased. Kari's and TK's eyes shot wide open as they realised the source of the increased power was coming from a single specific point that had just appeared from nowhere and was now coming straight towards them.

"Neodevimon's coming our way!" TK yelled to get the attention of the others. "It's now or never!"

"Right," Tai spun around to face Agumon with his digivice in his palm. "Digivolve, Agumon!"

Agumon nodded and took a ready stance. "Agumon warp digivolve to …"

"You to Gatomon," Kari glanced down to her partner. The brunette unclipped her pink and white digivice and pointed it in the direction of the feline Digimon. A bright light sprung from the device and surrounded Gatomon, allowing her digivolution to the ultimate level to begin.

"Gatomon digivolve to Angewomon!" The cat Digimon's body grew rapidly and took on a feminine human form. Eight white wings spread out from her back as a grey helmet materialised and covered her eyes. Her long flowing blonde hair cascaded down from the helmet as her tight white clothes formed around her body. The digivolution light died down to reveal the angel Digimon in all her glory.

"Why can't I digivolve?" Agumon yelled in a voice full of panic and frustration as he glanced from one claw to another. "Agumon digivolve to … What's wrong? Why can't I digivolve? I can't digivolve to champion or mega!"

"Maybe Gatomon was right," Tai bent down to his partner and placed a hand on his shoulder. He glanced down to his D-Terminal, looking at the yellow dots to find out where the closest gateway to home was. "We'd better get out of here!"

"Stun claw!" Neodevimon's voice echoed through the forest, making the Digidestined spin around looking for their foe.

Metalgarurumon's senses told him the devil was behind him. The metal wolf spun around to find a black cloud of energy in the shape of Neodevimon's claw cascading towards him. It was too late. The attack stuck the mega Digimon and paralyzed him. His body went limp as he fell from the sky and smashed into the hard, unforgiving ground. White light encased his body as the mega lost his power and returned to his rookie form.

"Gabumon!" Matt screamed his Digimon partner's name as he sprinted over to his prone body. The blonde teen knelt down and wrapped his arms around his Digimon's body. Matt's concern for Gabumon's health was etched across his face as he lifted his partner up.

"Stun claw!" Neodevimon bellowed again as he came into the group's view. The demon drew his right claw back, powering up the attack. The cloud of dark energy took the shape of the devil's claw before he released the attack.

"MATT!" TK screamed his brother's name as the blonde teen's sapphire eyes opened wide and registered the direction the attack was travelling in.

* * *

I was going to write the next part of this battle in this chapter, but it was getting a bit too long so I decided to stop and turn it into two chapters. Besides, I decided it was a better end to leave you with this cliff hanger. So you'll have to wait until the next chapter to find out what happens, sorry guys.

I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you guys like it as much as I do. Please let me know by clicking the review button below =D


	14. The Zone of Darkness Part 2

**Chapter 14: The Zone of Darkness Part 2**

Hey everyone. I have got a few author's notes I want to get through before I start this chapter so please bear with me.

The first one is a big thank you to all of you who reviewed the last chapter. I've now got 75 reviews, which is absolutely awesome. I never expected to get even 50 reviews when I started so I'm ecstatic to have 75. So yeah, I would like to thank everyone who has left a review for this fic and an extra big thanks to all of you who regularly leave reviews. You guys keep giving me the motivation to write this story and make sure I update date it regularly =D

Normally I don't address a review in my author's notes because I normally send you all private messages, as those of you who have private messaging enabled will have probably noticed. However, this time I will mention something brought up in a review. It's been pointed out that I've been putting "digivolved to" instead of "digivolve to" during the Digimon's digivolutions. I'm really embarrassed I made such a large mistake, especially considering how long I've been a fan of Digimon and how long I've been reading fanfics. I should have really picked it up myself. I'm actually cringing right now. Anyway, I've gone back and corrected it and some other mistakes for all of you, as some of you might have noticed. Sorry about the mistake everyone and if there are anymore, please feel free to tell me.

Right … on to the disclaimer. I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted thing mentioned in this fic, which is probably a relief for TK because he would get injured on a regular basis while trying to save Kari from evil Digimon.

And the last note. Sorry about the cliff-hanger at the end of the last chapter, but don't worry because it is now time to pick up where the last chapter left off …

* * *

"Gabumon!" Matt screamed his Digimon partner's name as he sprinted over to his prone body. The blonde teen knelt down and wrapped his arms around his Digimon's body. Matt's concern for Gabumon's health was etched across his face as he lifted his partner up.

"Stun claw!" Neodevimon bellowed again as he came into the group's view. The demon drew his right claw back, powering up the attack. The cloud of dark energy took the shape of the devil's claw before he released the attack.

"MATT!" TK screamed his brother's name as the blonde teen's sapphire eyes opened wide and registered the direction the attack was travelling in. The younger teen burst into a sprint, forcing his legs and feet to propel him as fast as they could in the direction of his older brother. TK's eyes tracked the dark energy as it cascaded towards his only sibling.

Matt glanced over to his brother and saw him sprinting at full speed in his direction. The older blonde's eyes opened wide as he turned to where the attack was coming from. He suddenly realised what was happening as his sky blue eyes noticed the pure black, claw shaped energy coming straight at him. It was too late. He knew he wasn't going to be able to move in time.

TK felt as if time was slowing down as he watched the attack get closer and closer to his brother. TK knew he could get to him in time. TK knew he had to get to him in time. He watched the energy and realised it was going to be close. He pushed off the ground as hard as he could and jumped towards Matt and Gabumon. His body collided with them, knocking both of them out of the path of the attack.

The attack missed the brothers' bodies by mere centimetres and smashed into the ground. It caused an explosion on impact, sending a shockwave and debris up into the air. The shockwave collected TK, Matt and the still unconscious Gabumon as it spread outwards, sending them flying several metres across the ground. They landed hard, bouncing off the hard floor several times before they skidded to a stop.

"TK!" Kari screamed her boyfriend's name as she sprinted over to the blonde boy lying prone on the ground.

"Matt!" Tai yelled his best friend's name as he and Agumon also rushed to aid their friends.

"Aurora beam," Magnaangemon yelled the name of his attack as he tried to stop Neodevimon from assaulting the humans. A multicolour aura formed around Excalibur, which was then fired in the form of an energy beam in the direction of the angel's nemesis.

"Celestial arrow," Angewomon called out her main attack as she tried to protect her friends as well. A white bow formed around the female angel's left glove as an arrow of white light took shape in her right hand. She placed the arrow into a firing position on the bow. The female angel pulled the arrow back before released the attack, aiming it directly at Neodevimon.

The devil Digimon corkscrewed out of the way of Magnaangemon's attack and then noticed the arrow coming straight towards him. He entered into a quick dive towards the ground to avoid the manoeuvre. The white arrow missed his wing by a whisker.

"Don't let him touch the ground!" Magnaangemon ordered as he fired another rainbow beam at his foe.

"Heaven's charm!" Angewomon put her arms out in front of her and placed her palms together. A pink energy formed around her hands before she pulled them apart. A large pink energy cross took shape in front of the angel Digimon, which she then released in the direction of Neodevimon. Both beam attacks cascaded towards the demon, forcing him to loop around and fly back into the air.

"Matt," TK called out his brother's name as he groaned in pain. The younger brother placed his palms on the ground and pushed himself up. He heard Kari arriving next to him as her run skidded to a halt. The blonde boy felt his girlfriend place her left arm under his shoulder to help him to his feet.

"I'm fine," Matt groaned as Tai arrived next to him. The older Kamiya helped his best friend up in the same way as Kari had helped TK to his feet. "What about Gabumon?"

"He'll be fine," Agumon reassured Matt as the orange lizard knelt down to inspect his unconscious friend.

Kari's mahogany eyes darted over TK, inspecting his body for any damage. She noticed blood on his exposed arms and knees before seeing the crimson liquid in his hair. She turned his head around and her eyes opened wide in horror when they saw the blood in his golden blonde hair. "TK, you're bleeding!"

"It's only a scratch," the teen boy reassured her as he felt his girlfriend use her hand to wipe some blood away from his left temple and cheek. "I'll be fine."

TK tried to move but Kari stopped him and forced him to move his head so she could get a better look at his injuries. Another blast echoed through the forest from the battle raging in the air above their heads, distracting them both briefly. Kari wiped the returning blood from her boyfriend's face again and looked at the wound more closely. A large, deep graze with several cuts ran from his temple to halfway down his left cheek and blood was flowing freely from it.

Kari then glanced down to the grazes on her boyfriend's arms and legs. She saw the crimson liquid dripping down his limbs too. "We've got to get you back so Joe can sort you out."

"I'll be fine," TK tried to reassure her again as they made their way to their brothers. The younger blonde's eyes then noticed the back of his brother's head. "Matt, are you alright?"

"Yeah, thanks to you," Matt answered as he held the back of his head. The older brother's blonde hair was turning crimson red too as blood flowed freely out of a cut on the back of his head. Matt's appearance was made worst by the cuts and grazes on his arms and legs as well. He turned around to face his brother and it was his eye's turn to open wide as he watched Kari wipe more blood from his brother's face. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," TK nodded as another explosion rumbled through the forest. "It's just a few scratches."

"You two are two tough bastards," Tai said as he let Matt support his own weight before pulling his D-Terminal out of his pocket. The brunette boy opened it up and glanced at the screen to find where the nearest gateway home was. "Let's get the hell out of here. The nearest gate is a short sprint back down the path and off down another path on the left."

Tai turned around and jogged over to Agumon and Gabumon. He placed his arms under the still knocked out Gabumon and picked him up. "I'll carry him for you, Matt. You're obviously not in the best shape to do it."

"Thanks Tai," Matt replied and smiled gratefully towards his best friend.

Kari grabbed TK's head and used the shoulder area of her shirt to wipe her boyfriend's bleeding wound again, leaving a patch of the crimson liquid on her pink garment. The brunette girl then glanced up to Angewomon and Magnaangemon, who were still fighting Neodevimon above their heads. She noticed Angewomon appeared to be holding her own in the battle.

"Magnaangemon, Angewomon, cover us as we head back to the TV," TK yelled his orders as he turned to face the battle. The blonde's instincts made him grab Kari's left hand to keep her safe as the group turned and began their sprint back down the path to find the nearest way home.

The Digidestined ran as fast as they could back down the path, looking for a small track that led off to their left. The angel Digimon covered the group's retreat by flying above them and launching attacks in the direction of Neodevimon. It was enough to keep the demon Digimon from attacking them as they kept him at bay.

"It's here," Tai shouted as he dived into an opening between two bushes and into the thick forest. The path look like it was designed more for small Digimon than humans.

The others followed their leader, realising the tall trees would provide extra cover from any attacks. They heard another explosion that led them to know there was still a battle going on somewhere above their heads, even though they could not see it through the forest's canopy. The Digidestined found they were slowing down as this path was a lot more uneven and definitely less used. The ground was a mixture of soft peat, roots and rocks which all acted as obstacles that were attempting to trip or slip up the teens.

The branches of the thick vegetation whipped around the Digidestineds' bodies as they continued to sprint towards safety and the way home. Kari felt TK pull her closer to him as he used his body to protect her from any of the undergrowth that whipped back after it was pushed out of the way. Despite her boyfriend's protection, Kari could still feel the thorns of the forest snatch at her clothes and scrape her soft, delicate skin. The brunette realised that she and TK were so close that they would end up in a tangled heap if one of them tripped. She stared at the ground in front of them both and increased her concentration to make sure that wouldn't happen.

Kari then noticed pieces of Tai's and Matt's shirts snared on the branches and thorns as the group continued through the forest. The teen girl felt her pink shirt catch on something and part of it being ripped away. Another barb covered branch struck her right arm, cutting into it and ripping the sleeve off her top. She glanced down to TK's torso and realised he was fairing even worse. Kari watched as the blood covered remains of his torn shirt flapped around freely as they darted through another thick patch of vegetation.

Suddenly the group burst out into a small grass covered clearing. The tall forest trees surrounded the space on all sides and enclosed the TV in the centre. Another explosion rocked the ground and the sound of several trees cracking and falling to the floor resounded through the opening. The Digidestined skidded to a halt in front of the TV, panting heavily as a result of the amount of energy they had just exerted.

Tai reached for his digivice while he inspected the condition of his comrades. He noticed all the cuts and whip marks which the forest had left on them as well as the shredding of their clothes. Fortunately their denim leg-wear appeared to have faired better than their shirts. "Let's get out of here."

"I'm staying to fight," TK announced as he turned and stared up at the battling Digimon. He made a mental note that Angewomon was definitely holding her own against Neodevimon.

"What?" Kari asked in disbelief and moved in front of him. She glanced up and down her boyfriend, noting all the cuts and grazes across his body. The undergrowth had ripped his shirt open, cutting and whipping his chest and stomach in the process. The brunette girl noticed the cuts were also on his forearms, legs and face too, adding to the blood dripping from the earlier wounds.

"I'm staying to fight," TK repeated himself in a stern voice as a determined look formed on his face. He stared into Kari's brown eyes and placed a finger her cheek. Kari felt him rub his finger over several sore spots on her face before lifting the digit up to inspect it. "You need to go back and have Joe clean you, Matt and Tai up."

Kari saw the blood on the end of his finger. She knew it was her blood, but she also knew her cuts were nothing compared to TK's injuries. "And so do you. You're in worse shape than me."

"That maybe so but this could be a chance to beat Neodevimon. He looks as if he's tiring," the blonde teen replied as he glanced back up at the fight while another explosion echoed through the forest.

"Then I'm staying too," Kari replied sternly. She was refusing to let her boyfriend be injured anymore. She could see the blonde's blood dripping off his face to the floor as she glared into his cobalt blue eyes.

"You can't," he placed both his hands on her shoulders as he replied. "He'll target you. He'll try to capture or kill you and I'm not going to let that happen, no matter what the cost will be to me."

The brunette's eyes opened wide as images of Wizardmon throwing himself in front of Myotismon's attack to save her and Gatomon ran through her mind. The images suddenly changed so that it was TK in the place of Wizardmon and this time he was protecting her from Neodevimon. The images from her recent nightmares flooded to the forefront of her mind as she realised how close he was to being killed earlier when saving Matt. Kari realised that she could end up getting TK hurt or even killed if they stayed because she knew he would give his life to protect her as well as everyone else. She could not let TK sacrifice himself to save her like Wizardmon did.

"Ok, I'll get our brothers back," Kari finally answered as she glanced behind her secret boyfriend to their brothers. "We'll get Joe to sort us out and have him ready for when you get back."

The brunette noticed Tai and Matt were checking on their Digimon and not looking in her direction. She suddenly felt an impulse spring from her heart that made her place her hands at the back of TK's head and pull him towards her. Kari closed her eyes and opened her lips as she pulled her love in for an extremely risky kiss. She could feel TK's blood on her face as their lips met. The teen girl realised she could taste the crimson fluid too as it covered the left side of his face, including his mouth.

Kari felt her emotions beginning to get the better of her as he returned the kiss. She forced back her tears and pulled back from the brief show of love. Her eyes quickly darted over to Matt and Tai to make sure she had not been caught. To her relief, they were both lifting Gabumon off the ground and were far to concerned about him to pay attention to her and TK at that moment.

The teen girl removed her hands from TK's head and turned to face her Digimon. "Angewomon, we've got to go."

"We're staying, Magnaangemon," TK shouted the plan as he also turned to face the battling Digimon.

"Are you sure that's a good idea, TK?" Magnaangemon yelled back as he barrel rolled out of the way of Neodevimon's stun claw attack.

"Yes, we can take it from here," the blonde replied to his partner as he watched the angel Digimon return fire. "The others need to get some treatment and, before you say anything, I'll be fine. This is a perfect chance to get this over with."

"I'll make sure you have the upper hand before I go," Angewomon informed the group as she prepared to attack again. "Celestial arrow!"

Instead of one white arrow, the angel Digimon placed five white arrows of light on her bow and fired them in the direction of Neodevimon. The arrows spread apart, making it even harder for the devil to evade the attacks of both Angewomon and Magnaangemon. The feminine angel repeated the attack several times, placing as much of her power into each attack as she could.

The combination of her efforts and Magnaangemon's aurora beam had definitely put Neodevimon on the back foot. The demon was constantly avoiding attacks and was being deprived of the time and space needed to retaliate. Angewomon suddenly stopped her rain of arrows and placed her hands out for a final attack.

"Heaven's charm," she yelled as she placed her remaining energy into the manoeuvre. The angel Digimon released the giant pink cross that cascaded towards the group's foe. It scored a direct hit, striking Neodevimon on his chest and sent him flying into the forest below.

"Thanks, now get out of here before he attacks again," TK ordered as he watched Angewomon land in the clearing and return to Gatomon.

"Keep safe," Kari spoke in a tone that clearly showed her concern to TK as he gave her a gentle push in the direction of the TV. She unclipped her pink and white digivice from her belt so she could open the porthole back to Earth.

"I will," the blonde replied as his girlfriend walked over to Tai, Matt and their Digimon. He watched Kari glance back at him one more time before she, Gatomon, Matt, Gabumon, Tai and Agumon were engulfed by the white light that would take them home. The light died down and TK sighed in relief, knowing they were now safe.

A black mist suddenly began to form on the other side of the clearing to TK. The blonde teen watched Neodevimon exit the pitch black porthole and rise into the air. Magnaangemon darted into a position between his partner and his nemesis to make sure TK was safe.

"You were so close to loosing your brother," Neodevimon laughed manically. "Next time I will kill him and then I will get my hands on your precious little Hikari too."

TK glared at Neodevimon. His eyes were taking in the condition of the demon, noticing he appeared low on energy and definitely battered by the attacks of Magnaangemon and Angewomon.

"I don't think you will," the teen boy replied confidently. "You couldn't manage it this time and I won't give you a next time. Besides, I don't think you can send Kari to the Dark World. I think it is beyond your powers."

The demon laughed at the wounded teen's reply. "I can send her to the Dark World without a problem. Remember that Dark Whirlpool? It is a gateway between the Digital World and the Dark World. I used the darkness emanating from the Dark World to reform my body and eventually get the power to digivolve to the ultimate level so I could exert my revenge on you."

TK paused for a moment, thinking over what he had just been told. He remembered Neodevimon telling him about the Dark Whirlpool before. It was definitely a possibility that the Dark Whirlpool could be a gateway to the Dark World and that made it even more important to end the fight right now. "Finish him."

"Gate of Destiny," Magnaangemon called out the name of his most devastating weapon as he drew a prefect circle using his purple beam sword. The golden gate materialised in the centre of the circle of light left behind by Excalibur. The ancient text covered doors of the weapon opened to reveal the gateway of no return for any Digimon that entered it.

"This doesn't end today," Neodevimon taunted as the black mist started to reform beneath him. The devil slowly sunk into the dark porthole he had opened, leaving TK and Magnaangemon alone in the clearing.

Magnaangemon reverted to Patamon and flew over to TK. "Are you alright, TK?"

"Yeah, thanks Patamon," the blonde boy smiled at his partner. "That was a close one. None of this would have happened if Tai had listened to me and not insisted on coming."

"I think they had to know if they could help us if something went wrong," the rookie Digimon offered an explanation for Tai's instance.

"I guess so. I think I might have done the same in their position but it was still too dangerous for them to come here," TK replied as he strolled over to the TV and held out his green and white digivice to the screen. The familiar bright light emitted from the TV and encased the teen boy's and Patamon's bodies so it could transport both of them back to Earth.

* * *

Well, there's the second part. It has turned out to be one of the shortest chapters I've written but it was easier for me to write and edit this and the last chapter in two parts. It would have been over 8,000 words if I hadn't split it from the last chapter. I hope you guys found it easier to read this way too.

Unfortunately, I've got some bad news for you all. I'm not going to be able to update this story until sometime in October. I'm going to be in Belgium for a week and that means I can't write and edit the next chapter because I'll be getting ready to go and I'll be busy while I'm there. I thought I would warn you all so you don't think I've disappeared. Sorry about that and I'll try and update as soon as I can when I'm back!

Please let me know what you think to this chapter by clicking the button below and leaving a review. I always appreciate them =D


	15. Is it Better the Devil You Know?

**Chapter 15: Is it Better the Devil You Know?**

Hi everybody. Thanks for the reviews of the last chapter everyone. I'm sorry I haven't been able to update for awhile but, as I explained at the end of the last chapter, I was away from home for a week and that meant I couldn't work on this chapter. Sorry again guys.

I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted thing I mention in this fic. Why would I say that if I did?

Now it's time to continue on from where the last chapter left off … Yep, there is still more …

* * *

The bright white light of the digital gate emitted from Izzy's computer monitor and shone out across the room. The Digidestined in the room moved to a safe distance as Tai, Matt, Kari and their Digimon were deposited on the carpet by the light. Kari heard the occupants of the room gasp as they saw the state of the three teens and their Digimon.

"What the hell happened?" Davis asked with his shock clear in his tone. "Where is TK?"

"He's still fighting Neodevimon," Kari answered as she stood up and turned to face the computer monitor to see if her boyfriend was following them through. Her concern and fear was clear in her voice and etched in her facial expressions.

Kari placed her head in her hands as she entered into a deep thought. She realised what had just happened and a conflict was starting to build up in her mind. She had just left her boyfriend, her love, in the Digital World, injured and fighting for his life against his evil nemesis and worst nightmare. The teen girl felt guilty that she had left TK fighting. She felt she should be there with him, giving him support and helping him beat his nemesis.

The image of her bloodied boyfriend forced its way into the forefront of the brunette's mind. Kari's breathing deepened as she became more and more worried about the situation. She was concerned about his injuries and if they were actually worse than they looked. Kari remembered how much blood was dripping from TK's face, arms and legs and it made her feel sick.

Kari then remembered what her boyfriend had said about Neodevimon targeting her. The images from her recent nightmares entered her mind, trying to reassure her that she had made the right choice in returning back to Earth and letting TK fight Neodevimon himself. The Digidestined of Light didn't want her love to sacrifice himself to save her in the same way Wizardmon had done five years ago. Kari reassured herself that TK was strong enough to look after himself by remembering how he saved the day during their battle with Piedmon in their original adventure.

The conflict continued in the teen girl's head as she felt she should have demanded that TK came back with her. She felt she should have made him come back and get his injuries treated. Kari was then suddenly snapped out of her thoughts when she felt a hand on her right shoulder. She turned around and saw Yolei holding an antiseptic wipe in her hand. The brunette realised she had zoned out and had not been paying any attention to what was going on around her in the room.

Kari glanced back at the monitor to check if TK was coming through but there was no sign of him yet. The brunette felt Yolei inspecting her shoulder, the same shoulder of her shirt which she used to wipe TK's blood from his face.

"I'm ok, it's TK's blood," Kari informed them in a quivering voice that clearly showed her feelings towards the situation she found herself in. The brunette felt Mimi place a hand on her cheek, inspecting a cut before using an antiseptic wipe to clean the blood. Kari noticed a stinging feeling coming from her wounds as Yolei and Mimi started to treat her.

Kari glanced around the room and noted what was going on. Matt was being treated by Joe and Sora. Her older friends had wipes, bandages and ice packs on blonde boy as they patched him up. She could see the deep cut on the back of Matt's head that was still bleeding and keeping his hair a crimson red. There were cuts on his face where branches and thorns had cut into him when they ran through the thick vegetation. His shirt was ripped and torn by a combination of the blast from Neodevimon's attack and the undergrowth. There were cuts and grazes covering his arms and chest in the areas where his black shirt had been shredded. There were also holes in the knees of his jeans where they had been ripped during his hard landing from the blast caused by Neodevimon's stun claw striking the ground.

Kari watched Sora, Izzy and Joe take Matt out of the room, presumably to clean him up in the bathroom, before her eyes moved to Tai. She watched Davis and Ken helping her brother clean himself up. He was also covered in cuts and scratches from the thick vegetation. The brunette noted her older sibling's shredded shirt was hanging on by a thread, which had exposed his chest to the undergrowth too. She was relieved his injuries were minimal and were restricted to cuts on his arms and chest.

The teen girl's gaze moved to the Digimon who were all lifting the still unconscious Gabumon onto Izzy's bed to treat him. Her eyes then moved on to inspect herself. Her almond eyes shot wide open as she realised the state of her clothes. Her pink shirt had been ripped to pieces and was covered in blood, which she realised was a mixture of hers and TK's. The brunette saw her denim skirt was also torn in places and there was a noticeably large rip up the stitching on the right side of it. Kari sighed in relief that the remains of her clothes were still covering up her developing breasts and hips. She realised that if she had ran through the undergrowth for another minute then she probably would have ended up in her underwear.

Kari's eyes moved on from her clothes to her skin. She noticed the blood leaking from cuts and scratches on her arms, legs and stomach. The brunette could feel a few cuts stinging from the wipes her friends were using to clean her face. Kari then realised there wasn't as many cuts on her as there were on Matt, Tai and TK. She attributed it to TK keeping her close when they were running through the forest. The blonde teen had used his body to protect her from the branches and thorns whipping back and catching her once they had been pushed out of the way.

The teen girl's mind returned to her boyfriend. She realised he would need a lot more medical attention than she needed. Kari pushed Yolei and Mimi away and grabbed several bandages and wipes so she could help TK when he returned. She turned back to the older girls and handed them a few more wipes.

"TK needs more help than me," Kari stated in a quivering tone similar to the one she used earlier, which showed her concern for the teen boy. "Help me clean him up when he comes back."

Yolei and Mimi glanced at each other and gave a nod of agreement that their younger friend was right. The three Digidestined girls moved to the side of the room and anxiously waited for TK to return.

Kari found herself wanting to go back into the Digital World again. The conflict inside her returned as she tried to decide whether she should help her secret boyfriend or stay where she was and wait for him as he asked her to do. The brunette sat down and placed her head in her palms again. Her mind started to go into overdrive.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Yolei asked Kari with her concern being made apparent by the way she spoke. The purple haired girl knelt down and placed her right hand on her friend's shoulder to let her know she was there to help.

Kari snapped out of her thoughts again and glanced over to the older girl. She sighed and gave her a weak smile. "I'm fine thanks, Yolei."

"TK will be fine," Mimi tried to reassure her as she knelt down and placed her left hand on Kari's other shoulder. "He'll be back soon and in one piece."

"I know," Kari replied as she looked over to Mimi and nodded in agreement. "It's just I know he would never let me do something like this and …" The brunette paused as she struggled to find the words to finish the sentence in a way that didn't hint towards her love for TK.

"You care for TK and you're worried about what might happen," Mimi took over when she realised her younger friend was struggling for words. "We know you feel like that, Kari. He's one of your best friends and you two are really close so it's only natural you feel like that right now. Besides, we're all worried about him right now too."

Kari nodded again and was about to reply when suddenly Izzy's computer monitor lit up. The white light of the digital gate emitted from the screen and spread across the room. The light slowly started to die down, revealing TK and Patamon as it placed them on the floor.

The brunette waited for the light to completely fade before she bolted over to TK. She noticed Gatomon do the same to Patamon out of the corner of her eye. Kari placed both hands on her boyfriend's shoulders to stop him from standing up. She then placed a wipe on his left temple and started to clean the blood away from the wound.

"Stay still," the teen girl instructed as she felt the blonde boy flinch from the stinging feeling of the antiseptic.

"I'm fine," TK replied as he tried to stand up again. "Where's Matt?"

Kari pushed him back down to the floor so she and the others could help him. "Matt will be fine. Sora, Joe and Izzy are cleaning him up now."

"I better go and help them," the teen boy said as he tried to stand up but was stopped yet again.

"Takeru, listen to me," Kari spoke in a stern voice as she stared into his sapphire eyes. "Matt will be ok and you are in worse shape than him. You can see him once we've clean you up."

The brunette teen felt her boyfriend finally stop resisting and relax, allowing her to place another tissue onto the cuts and grazes on his left temple and cheek. She noticed Mimi, Yolei and Cody join her as they started to help their friend.

"You're bleeding," TK stated in a concerned voice as he placed his bloodied right hand on her cheek. "Let me help you."

"I'm fine for the moment," Kari replied as she felt Yolei pull TK's hand away from her face so the older girl could clean it. "You can help me after we've helped you, ok?"

Kari placed her spare hand on his right cheek and found herself staring lovingly into her boyfriend's eyes. TK nodded his reply and he gazed back as he let his friends start to treat his wounds from the battle. They both quickly snapped out of their trance as they did not want any of their friends to get a hint of their secret relationship.

Kari's eyes moved from her love's cobalt orbs to his injuries. The brunette began her inspection of TK's body with the wound she was already tending to. She noticed the cuts and graze started in his hair above his left temple and ran halfway down his cheek. The blood from the injury had turned his most of his golden blonde hair and the left side of his face to a crimson red.

The teen girl swapped the tissue she was using for a clean one before she let her assessment of TK's condition continue. Her eyes moved on to the rest of his face. There were several small cuts and scratches across his jaw and other cheek, similar to the ones she had across her body. Kari knew they were from the vegetation whipping into him in the same way it had done to her, Tai and Matt.

Her assessment moved on and down to his torso. TK's shirt was ripped to shreds and, as a result, had offered him little protection from the undergrowth. Kari could see he had a lot more whiplash marks, cuts and grazes left by the thorns and branches than she did. It reminded her that he had used his body to shield her from most of them.

The brunette's eyes moved on to TK's arms. They were dripping with blood from the cuts and grazes from a combination of the blast and impact created by Neodevimon's attack and the sprint through the forest. The landing from the blast had cut and grazed both of his elbows and most of his left forearm, making it obvious to Kari which side of her boyfriend's body had taken most of the impact on landing.

Kari glanced down to TK's legs and noticed they were in a similar condition to his arms. His left knee had taken the most damage and was being tended to by Cody. The brunette's gazed moved upwards and noticed the tears in his denim shorts. Kari could see the wound on the blonde teen's left knee actually continued all the way up his leg, up the outside of his thigh and to his hip. She realised TK was as close as she was to loosing his clothing when they ran through the undergrowth. His belt and a few threads were the only things holding his shorts together.

The brunette teen briefly looked over to her brother, who was still with Davis and Ken. The siblings' eyes made contact and Kari gave Tai an accusing glare, one that made it obvious to the older Kamiya that she was definitely not happy with the idea that had led to this. However, her feelings changed and her expression altered when she saw the guilt and concern etched across Tai's face. Kari could see he was remorseful and remembered she understood why he had made the decision in the first place. She realised her emotions were taking her on a seriously giant rollercoaster ride at that moment.

Kari was about to turn her attention back to TK when Matt, Joe, Izzy and Sora returned to Izzy's bedroom. Matt was cleaned up and had bandages wrapped around his head, elbows and knees. The white medical dressings were covering all his major gashes and grazes.

"Matt," TK gasped as his eyes set on his brother. Kari could clearly make out the worry in the younger blonde's tone without needing to see the expression on his face.

"I'm fine, TK," Matt answered with a smile to reassure his brother. "All thanks to you."

"Come on, TK. Lets get you cleaned up too," Joe walked over to his friend and offered him his hand.

The blonde teen took Joe's hand with his right hand as Mimi, Yolei and Cody moved aside so he could stand. Kari grasped TK's left hand and, between her and Joe, they helped him to his feet. The three of them were accompanied by Izzy to the bathroom so they could clean and treat TK's battle wounds.

* * *

An uncomfortable silence mixed with concern and shock hung in an unwelcome manner in the air of Izzy's bedroom. Izzy sat on his computer chair, with Tentomon perched on his desk, as he glanced at the others in the room. The rest of the Digidestined and their Digimon were sat on the floor apart from Gabumon who was still lying unconscious on the bed. The group were all looking at each other, waiting for someone to be the first to break the silence. The group had remained in silence after they decided to discuss the events that had just happened because no one knew where to start.

TK had been cleaned up by Kari, Joe and Izzy and had the major wounds to his legs, arms and head bandaged up. He was sat next to Kari who had also had her injuries cleaned up. They were both wearing white shirts that Izzy had lent them since their shirts were clearly no longer wearable anymore. Fortunately TK's shorts and Kari's skirt were still just usable and held together with safety pins, which meant the garments would at least last until they got home. The group could see the events of the battle were obviously playing on their minds by looking at their body language.

Sat opposite them in the circle and to Izzy's right were Tai and Matt. The older brothers had their injuries cleaned up too and were also clearly rattled by the fight they had somehow managed to escape from. The older teens were also wearing white shirts that they were borrowing from Izzy since their shirts were shredded too.

Tai had a bandage covering a deep gash on his right forearm that came as a result of one partially sharp thorn cutting into his flesh as the group ran through the forest undergrowth. Matt, who had Sora holding onto him in a tight embrace, had the injury to his head bandaged up and the blood washed out of his hair. The grazes and cuts on the blonde teen's arms and legs were also bandaged up.

"So what exactly happened?" Izzy broke the silence that had lasted over five minutes. He glanced at Matt, Tai and Agumon before looking over to TK, Kari, Patamon and Gatomon as he waited for an answer.

Tai took a deep breath as he decided that as the leader he should be the one to tell everyone. He ran the fingers of his right hand through his bushy brown hair as he thought over his answer. "Err, where to start?"

"The beginning would be a good place," Mimi suggested since she wanted to know the whole story. "Were the Digimon able to digivolve outside of the zone of darkness?"

"Yes," Tai nodded his answer. "Patamon digivolved to Magnaangemon and Gabumon warp digivolved to Metalgarurumon while we were outside the zone of darkness. Once they digivolved, we decided that Gatomon and Agumon would digivolve as soon as we reached the first dark grid on the map on our D-Terminals. We walked to the dark area without a problem but we were attacked by Neodevimon as soon as we entered the first black grid square. Gatomon managed to digivolve to Angewomon but for some reason Agumon couldn't digivolve."

"Gatomon's theory was right," observed Ken as he thought about what Tai was telling the group. "Only she and Patamon can digivolve inside the area covered by darkness."

"We'll discuss why after Tai finishes," Yolei glanced to her right at her boyfriend as she interrupted him.

Tai took that as his cue to continue. "We knew Neodevimon was coming but didn't know where from and he made a surprise attack on Metalgarurumon that knocked him straight out. Then, before Magnaangemon and Angewomon could start to battle with Neodevimon, he caught us all off guard and launched an attack towards Matt as he tended to Gabumon. TK managed to save Matt and Gabumon just in time but the blast from the attack threw them across the ground."

"So that's why you two look worst off," Mimi thought aloud as she glanced between the two brothers.

"We took that as our cue to get out of there and we ran for the nearest gateway home as Magnaangemon and Angewomon covered our retreat. Unfortunately that meant we had to run through the undergrowth of the forest, which did this to us," Tai lifted his bandaged right arm to illustrate the point as he continued. "We made it to the TV in the clearing where TK decided to stay to fight and the rest of us came back."

"Neodevimon said a few things and then basically ran off when you guys left," TK finished recalling the events for the rest of the Digidestined and Digimon.

"I'm sorry TK," Tai said as an apologetic expression formed across his face. "You were right to stop us from fighting Neodevimon but we had to know if our Digimon could digivolve inside the zone of darkness. We had to know if we could go straight in if we needed to rescue you."

TK nodded his acceptance of the apology. "I understand and I hope you understand that it is best if only Patamon and I fight Neodevimon from now on."

"I'm in full agreement after what has just happened," the leader of the Digidestined replied. "Especially considering it looked like Neodevimon deliberately targeted Matt. Was that the case?"

Several occupants of the room gasped at Tai's words before everyone's eyes fixed on TK and waited for his response. Kari placed her right hand on the blonde teen's shoulder in a gesture of support. TK only nodded yes as his answer.

"I can't believe Neodevimon is using us to hurt TK," Cody growled in anger through clenched teeth. The youngest Digidestined clearly thought that the demon's actions had cross the line of what he saw as right and wrong. Acts of cowardice like this always got the young boy riled up.

"And there's nothing we can do about it," Matt spat as he clenched his fists in anger. "And even if we try to do something, we will only be making things worse."

Another silence filled the room as everyone thought over what had just been said. The entire group felt frustrated and angry that they could not help their friends even if they wanted to. All of them now realised why TK had asked to fight his nemesis on his own.

"We would be able to fight if our Digimon could digivolve," Davis bluntly stated as he broke the silence.

"I still wouldn't want you going into the Digital World to fight Neodevimon even if all the Digimon could digivolve," TK replied as he glanced over to Davis.

"So only Patamon and Gatomon can digivolve in the zone of darkness, right?" Yolei asked no one in particular.

"It would appear that the Crests of Hope and Light give Patamon and Gatomon the ability to digivolve in places where our Digimon cannot," Izzy glanced at TK, Kari and the two Digimon he mentioned as he shared his theory with the others. "I am hypothesising that their light is able to overpower the darkness, like we've seen in the past."

"So why could they not digivolve when Ken was the Digimon Emperor?" Mimi asked as she looked around the room for an answer to solve her puzzlement at the situation.

"Like I said earlier, it probably has something to do with the dark digivice," Ken replied as he unclipped his digivice from his belt and held it so everyone could see it. "It was connected to the control spires and helped block the digivolution process. As Neodevimon doesn't have a digivice, I'm guessing he can't block the powers of the Crests of Hope and Light and, therefore, can't stop Patamon or Gatomon digivolving like I did."

"I think we should leave all of this for another day," Tai interrupted as Mimi was about to ask another question. The leader rose to his feet. "I don't know about the rest of you but I know I could do with going home and getting some rest. You guys can continue to discuss this if you want and, if you do, fill me in later when you've made your minds up."

"That sounds like a good idea, Tai," TK said as he and Kari stood up. Matt and Sora joined them too.

"I think I should get Gabumon home so he can rest there," Matt told the others as he placed his arms under his Digimon partner and lifted him up.

"That sounds like a good idea," Izzy added his opinion. "We can discuss this at a later date."

* * *

TK shut the door to his apartment behind himself and Kari. The teens bent down to take their shoes off and placed them on the wooden rack in the hallway. Both Patamon and Gatomon sprinted off from their partners and into TK's bedroom, leaving the secret couple alone.

They had been to Kari's apartment so she could get changed out of her destroyed skirt and the shirt Izzy had loaned to her. She was now wearing a spaghetti strapped white top and stone washed jeans that showcased her developing figure. Kari, TK and Tai were lucky that Tai and Kari's parents were both out so they didn't have to face an interrogation on the day's events. The Kamiya siblings knew their parents were going to loose it when they found out but at least they could put that off until later. Another twist of good fortune came when TK's mother let him know she was working late again. This allowed the couple some time alone and it allowed TK time to come up with a reason why he was bandaged up.

"I had better get changed," the blonde teen let his girlfriend know where he was going as he started to walk in the direction of his bedroom.

Kari quickly grabbed his right hand and pulled her love so he was facing her. She wrapped both her arms around his neck as she felt the dam that had been holding her emotions back suddenly break. The brunette's feelings took over her like a tidal wave cascading through her mind. She pulled TK in and placed her lips against his.

TK accepted the kiss, opening his mouth and letting his girlfriend's soft lips brush against his. He placed his left hand on the back of her head and his right arm around her back. They tightened their embrace as the kiss continued. Their lips slid over one another's as they continued the kiss, savouring the taste of the other's mouth.

The kiss lasted several minutes before the couple finally broke apart. Kari instantly placed her head on TK's shoulder and wrapped her arms around his back. She gripped onto him tightly as she felt her eyes starting to well up with tears. The teen girl could feel TK return the tight embrace as he rubbed the back of her head with his left hand.

"That was too close," Kari sniffed as her tears flowed freely from her mahogany eyes. "That's going to haunt my nightmares. I … I … I mean seeing you like that … all the blood. Then I had to leave you and … and I didn't know if you were alright. I … I didn't know if … if I'd see you ever again."

"It's ok, Kari," TK spoke in a soft reassuring tone as he tightened his grip so their bodies were flush against each other's. "We're safe and I'm fine. They're only cuts and grazes."

"I know but it's … it's the image of you with … with the blood dripping from your face," the brunette paused to try and recompose herself. She thought about the battle. Kari reminded herself that he had no choice in the situation and that it could have been a lot worse. "You did well, TK. Saving Matt and keeping us all safe. Thanks."

Kari could hear TK's breathing becoming more uneven as he began to match her sobs. She could tell the earlier battle had taken its toll on both of them and now they were alone it was all coming out. They both knew how close they were to loosing Matt and Gabumon earlier.

"It was too close," TK's voice quivered as he spoke. He was trying to hold back his tears and failing. "I wouldn't have been able to cope if I lost anyone, especially you, Matt and Patamon."

The couple fell into a silence, comforting each other in the way that best friends turned lovers do. They remained in their tight embrace with their bodies pressed together, rubbing one another's backs with their hands.

After a few minutes TK broke the silence with a hollow laugh. "They say it is better the devil you know than the devil you don't. What do they know?"

Kari gazed up at her boyfriend's sapphire eyes with a quizzical expression etched on her face. "What do you mean?"

"I would rather be facing anyone other than Neodevimon right now."

* * *

Well that is another chapter finished. I hope you liked it.

I've got some good news at the end of this chapter for you all this time. I don't normally say things in my author's notes about my other fics but this time I will make an exception. I've come up with a one-shot alternative ending to this story. It is the alternative ending where TK and Patamon loose to Neodevimon. I'm working on it now and I hope to have it finished and posted soon. So if you like those sorts of things then please keep an eye out for it.

Anyway, please let me know what you think about this chapter by clicking the button below and leaving a review =D


	16. The Clock is Ticking

**Chapter 16: The Clock is Ticking**

Hi everyone. As always, I would like to thank all of you who reviewed the last chapter. Your reviews always give me the motivation to keep writing =D

And now for the disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything else which is copyrighted that I happen to mention in this chapter. Gomamon would know what it is like to have elbows if I did own Digimon.

This chapter is sort of a bridging chapter between the previous arc and the next arc of the story. So there will be a few hints as to where this fic is going in the next few chapters. Oh and there is a hint of PataGato again in this chapter for all you PataGato fans.

* * *

Anxiety hung in the air of the Takaishi apartment like thick smog. Matt, Tai, Kari and Izzy sat on the sofas around the small table in the living area of the flat. Their Digimon were sat on the floor next to their partners. The group were all staring at Izzy's yellow and white laptop that sat on the table, facing out into an open space. They had rearranged the room just to get that space. The program open on the screen was a gate to the Digital World and it was showing the last person to travel through it went to the Peak of Infinity Mountain.

Matt was fidgeting with the buttons on his long sleeved black shirt as he kept glancing nervously at the computer. He had suffered a concussion as a result of the attack from Neodevimon two days earlier but had insisted on being here in case his younger brother needed him. The other injuries from the attack, the cuts, gashes and grazes, had scabbed over. He had taken off the bandages he was given and his wounds were healing perfectly.

Gabumon was sitting on the floor in front of his human partner. He had recovered from Neodevimon's stun claw manoeuvre that had left him unconscious for the majority of the previous battle. However, the dog-like Digimon still felt guilty over his inability to help his partner and friends during that fight. Matt had ended up having a long conversation with Gabumon to remind him there was nothing he could have done about it.

Sitting opposite Matt was Tai. The brunette boy's injuries were healing well too, although his wounds were not as severe as his best friend's. Kari was sat to her brother's left and Izzy sat on Matt's right. Izzy was doing something on his D-Terminal to take his mind off things. It had been fifteen minutes since TK left and the group were beginning to worry.

Kari sat with her elbows resting on her knees and her chin in her palms as she stared at the laptop. The fingers of her right hand were involuntarily playing with her silky brown hair, showing her apprehension as she waited for her secret boyfriend to return. The teen girl's index finger ran across one of the scabs on her face from a cut that she received during the group's mad sprint through the undergrowth of the forest two days ago. She was the least injured out the group as she only got a few cuts, which were healing fine. However, the image of TK with his blood covering his face entered her mind every time she looked at or felt one of the cuts.

The brunette's thoughts were solely about her love. His physical injuries were healing perfectly, like hers, and he didn't get a concussion from the blast like his brother did, which was an additional plus. However, Kari had noticed the battles with Neodevimon were starting to mentally take their toll on TK. The couple had spent an undetermined amount of time comforting and supporting each other since the previous battle. They had held one another tightly, appreciating the fact they were both still alive and managed to escape from the fight. Kari had realised during that moment that there were cracks beginning to form in TK's armour and he couldn't go on like this for much longer. She knew this had to end as soon as possible.

The silence was interrupted by a sound similar to an old dial up modem when it connects to the internet. The noise was emanating from Izzy's laptop and was the precursor to a digital gateway opening. The eyes of the occupants of the room fixed on the computer as the screen lit up and the bright white light of the portal shone out into the empty space they had made for it. TK's and Patamon's forms started to take shape as the beam returned them to Earth. The light began to disperse, leaving the Digidestined of Hope and his Digimon free to move around.

TK growled and punched the floor of his apartment. His frustration and anger were clearly written across his face for all to see as he remained kneeling in the floor. The blonde teen sighed before placing his face into both of his palms. Matt and Kari leaped out of their seats and knelt down next to the younger blonde. They were joined by Gatomon who bounded over to Patamon.

"Are you alright?" Kari asked as she placed her right hand on TK's left shoulder. Her eyes started instinctively inspecting her boyfriend's body for any injuries. She noted the scabs on his face, arms and legs from the attack two days ago but, to her relief, there were no new wounds.

"Yeah," the teen boy sighed as he glanced over his left shoulder. His cobalt blue eyes locked with Kari's sparkling mahogany eyes, which told him just how worried she was about him at that moment in time. He smiled weakly in an attempt to reassure her that he was ok.

"It was another stalemate," Patamon stated in a slightly frustrated tone as he sat on the floor.

"You're doing the best you can," Gatomon spoke in a confident tone as she placed her paw on his back in an attempt to comfort her friend.

"We can't keep going on like this," TK groaned as he, Kari and Matt all climbed to their feet. "This has to end soon."

"I couldn't agree more," Matt nodded in concurrence with his younger brother. The rest of the occupants of the room nodded too. All of them clearly wanted the ongoing battles with Neodevimon to come to an end.

"Especially considering how long we have left until all of File Island is covered in darkness," Izzy announced as he closed the digital gate program on his computer and opened up some calculations he had been working on since Neodevimon had arrived.

"How long have we got?" Tai asked as this was new news to him. The rest of the group acted as if they didn't know anything about it either as they all took a seat on the sofas.

"I need to double check my calculations, but I think we only have ten days until the whole of File Island is covered by Neodevimon's darkness," Izzy spoke in a grave tone as he stared at his computer screen. "That doesn't mean it will be the end of File Island or the Digital World but it will mean that only Kari would be able to help TK if he gets into trouble. It would also endanger any Digimon living on the island as we already know Neodevimon's attitude towards things he considers pests from our original battles five years ago."

"That means you really need to get this over with, TK," Tai stated the obvious as he glanced to his right and in the direction of the blonde boy sitting next to his sister.

"If all of File Island is covered in darkness then none of us will be able to fight Neodevimon and win if something were to happen to TK or Patamon," Tentomon observed. "And that means he could move on and takeover the whole Digital World, using the island as a base where we wouldn't be able to touch him."

"That means all our lives are at risk," Matt stated in a matter of fact tone after he thought over what Tentomon had just said.

"I'm trying to end this," TK retorted in a tone that showed his frustration and exhibited a slight hint of anger.

"You can do it, TK. I believe in you," Kari spoke in a soft, caring voice as she pulled the blonde boy in for a hug. She made sure it was only a quick friendly hug, unlike their usual embraces, because she didn't want anyone to suspect that they were secretly dating. "We all believe in you."

"Kari's right," Matt added in a supportive and reassuring manner. "We all believe in you and Patamon and we know you will get it done. Besides, it isn't like any of us Digidestined have ever managed to beat a foe straightaway. We always seem to leave it until the last possible second for some strange reason."

TK sighed and ran his fingers through his messy blonde hair. "I'll try and come up with another plan. Hopefully I'll find something I've missed and someway of beating Neodevimon."

"I wonder if we can buy you more time," Izzy thought aloud as he picked his laptop up off the table. "I'll contact Gennai to see if he knows a way of slowing the spread of Neodevimon's darkness. I'll also send my data to Ken so he can confirm it."

"That's a good idea," Tai glanced over to the genius, nodding his approval of the suggestion. "If Gennai can give us someway of pushing back the darkness then we might be able to buy TK a few more days or maybe even more."

* * *

Ken and Davis sat on two black computer chairs in Ken's bedroom. The two teens were looking over the data Izzy had just sent to Ken so he could confirm his theory that File Island had only ten days until it was completely covered in darkness.

Davis glanced around the room, his eyes moving from the wooden cabin bed to the white ceiling and then to the sky blue walls before they finally settled on the Digimon. Veemon and Wormmon were sitting on Ken's cobalt blue carpet watching the humans. The goggle-head spun his chair back around so he could face the computer monitor. He watched Ken flick from window to window, bringing up documents and maps as the violet haired teen studied the data he had received.

"Is Izzy right?" Davis asked with a hint of impatience in his voice. He wanted to know just how long it would take Neodevimon to takeover File Island. "Will File Island be completely covered in darkness in ten days time?"

Ken sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. The teen boy closed the windows on his screen and sat back in his chair. "Yes, it will. Izzy's calculations appear to be correct. There is an error of about twenty hours because of the varying rate at which the darkness has spread at. The speed changes from hour to hour according to Izzy and I agree with him from what I've seen."

"Does TK know?" Davis sat back in his chair too and looked over to his best friend.

"Yeah, he does. TK is with Izzy at the moment. I had better let Izzy know that I've checked his calculations and they are correct," Ken answered as he reached over to his computer desk for his D-Terminal. The teen boy started to type his reply to his fellow genius straightaway.

"It worries me that TK hasn't been able to stop Neodevimon yet," Davis sighed as he watched Ken typing his message into his D-Terminal.

Ken stopped typing and glanced over to Davis. "I'm sure TK will defeat Neodevimon in time. Besides, TK and Magnaangemon can still fight even if all of File Island is covered by darkness. It wouldn't mean we have lost, it just means the rest of us cannot save him if something did go wrong. Although, it's not like we could help him anyway. I think it is a bad idea for any of us to go into the Digital World after what nearly happened to me and Matt."

"I guess you're right," the goggle-head replied as he placed his chin in his left palm. "It's just I'm not used to being on the bench, if you know what I mean. I feel I should be there, fighting to save the Digiworld."

"I know what you mean, Davis," Ken responded in a sympathetic tone. "We all feel like we should be fighting Neodevimon but I think it is best to leave it to TK and Patamon after what happened on Monday. Yolei wishes she could help too. We were talking about it yesterday and she's really worried about all of it."

"I wish there was someway of helping them," Davis groaned as he began to think of ways that he might be useful against Neodevimon. Every idea he thought of seemed too dangerous, meaning they would never be accepted by TK, Tai or any of the other Digidestined. "Even armour digivolving is out of the question because Neodevimon is just too strong."

"Listen, Davis," Ken spoke in a serious tone as he stared at his best friend. "I think it might be best if we kept our noses out of it. What I'm suggesting is that we don't ask too many questions. We can still give TK ideas but just don't dig too deep, if you get what I'm saying."

"Why?" Veemon asked as Davis and Wormmon thought over the violet haired boy's words.

Ken sighed and ran the fingers of his right hand through his hair as he thought over his reply. "There is more to this than TK and Patamon beating Devimon five years ago and Devimon wanting to kill TK because of some prophecy."

"What do you mean?" Davis asked, hoping his friend might help explain some of the reasons behind Neodevimon's attack on File Island.

"I'm not sure what happened. Nobody has told me what happened but I think it must have been something big," Ken replied as he thought about the way both Neodevimon and TK acted towards each other. "There is too much malice between them for it to be something that simple. Neodevimon wants to force TK to watch us all die. Can you think of a worse torture than being forced to watch the people you care about being kill?"

"No," Davis, Veemon and Wormmon all replied in unison.

"Then there is the way TK acts when Devimon is mention," Ken continued. "It is like Neodevimon did something five years ago that TK could never forgive. He must have done something that has deeply affected TK and still haunts him to this day, which explains the way he acted when I took my base to that Dark Whirlpool."

"Do you have any idea of what it might be that makes TK act like he does?" Veemon interrupted, wondering if Ken had a theory to answer his question.

The teen genius paused and thought about it. "I don't know. I guess Devimon might have killed someone TK cared about but I can't be certain. The older Digidestined did mention Leomon, so it might have some to do with him. Then again it might not because they said Leomon helped them against Metaletemon. I'm only speculating here. I don't really want to ask him in case he punches me in the face again like he did two years ago. That hurt. TK also scares me when he's angry. I whipped him in the face and he didn't even blink until he punched me. I've never seen anyone as intense as TK when he's mad."

A silence took over the room as everyone thought over Ken's point. The teen genius himself returned his attention back to his D-Terminal and his message to Izzy. His reply was quickly finished and sent.

Davis waited for Ken to finish with the message before he suggested an idea that came into his mind. "All it would take is for one of us to go into the Digiworld and fight Neodevimon alongside TK. I think one person might be able to distract Neodevimon enough for Magnaangemon to catch him off guard and kill him."

"I don't like the sound of that idea, Davis. That sounds as dangerous as TK using himself as bait and we all know what happened when he did that," Ken replied with a serious look of concern etched across his face. "TK would never allow that."

"I know," the goggle-head replied. "But if a quick, powerful Digimon, let's say Wargreymon or Metalgarurumon, were to be alongside Magnaangemon then Neodevimon would be trying to take them out first. This would allow Magnaangemon to attack as Neodevimon attacked the other Digimon. Neodevimon would be wide open and he could be finished off easily."

* * *

"I haven't had a reply from Gennai yet," Izzy informed the others as he closed his yellow and white laptop before he stood up.

"How long does it normally take for him to reply?" Tai asked as he and Matt pulled themselves off the sofas and to their feet as they started getting ready to leave.

TK, Kari and the Digimon all stood up too as the group made their way to the hallway and main door of the Takaishi apartment. The group had been talking strategies for the last couple of hours after TK had returned from his earlier battle. They had been hoping that Gennai might be able to help them but he had not replied yet. In addition to that, none of the group had been able to come up with a different strategy that was not deemed too risky and dangerous.

"It always depends on how busy he is," Izzy replied as he took his black trainers off the wooden shoe rack before sliding them onto his feet and tying his laces. "It usually is between a couple of minutes to a couple of days."

"We don't really have a couple of days to spare," Matt sighed as he tied the laces on his footwear as well. "We could do with it now."

"I can imagine he is really busy trying to find a solution," Tai thought aloud. "I bet he has been working on the problem since it started and he has not contacted us because he hasn't found anything yet."

"I would also bet that Gennai has been working on a way for our Digimon to digivolve in the dark zone," Izzy added, thinking if he could find a solution to the problem as well.

"I still wouldn't want you going into the Digital World even if everyone else's Digimon could digivolve in the area controlled by Neodevimon," TK reiterated the stance he had on the subject from the start.

"We know, TK, but we want to be able to help you if something does go wrong," Tai repeated his view on the matter again. "At the moment Kari is the only person who can help you if something goes wrong. No disrespect to Kari or Gatomon, but if we were going to rescue you if you got into trouble then we would need more of us than just Angewomon."

"I would still go on my own to rescue TK if I had to. I wouldn't care if I had any of you with me or not," Kari stated bluntly, ending the discussion.

A silence settled over the group as they glanced between each other, waiting for someone to say something. Tai sighed, walking towards the door as he broke the silence. "I guess we'd better be off. Are you coming, Kari?" The teen boy looked back to his sister as he asked her the question. He knew she had been spending a lot of time with TK recently and that she probably was going to stay with the blonde boy.

Kari shook her head. "I'm going to stay here for a while longer, if that is ok with TK?"

"I'm fine with that," the blonde teen replied with a smile.

"Only fine?" The brunette questioned, raising her eyebrows in mock annoyance.

TK laughed, relieving some of the stress he had been under over the last few hours. He poked his secret girlfriend on the top of her right arm. "You know what I mean."

Kari laughed with him and gave her boyfriend a playful hit on his left shoulder. It brought a smile to the faces of the older Digidestined and Digimon present to see the two letting some of their stresses evaporate into thin air.

Tai opened the door to the apartment and turned around to wave his good bye. "I'll see you later, Kari, and don't stress too much, TK. You have to remember to rest."

"I will Tai," TK replied and waved back to the group leaving. "See you tomorrow."

The group exchanged their goodbyes before Tai, Matt, Izzy and their Digimon left the apartment and made their way to their homes. TK closed the door behind them after he and Kari watched their friends walk down the hallway and into the lift. The couple made their way back over to the sofas and took a seat. TK placed his left arm around Kari's back as she draped her right arm around his neck. The lovers pulled each other closer so Kari could rest her head on TK's shoulder.

Both teens' eyes then fixed on their Digimon as Patamon and Gatomon sprinted off into TK's bedroom. The Digimon rounded the corner so they were out of sight and earshot of the couple. The two Digidestined's heads turned and they looked at each other with puzzled expressions on their faces.

"What are they doing?" TK asked even though he could tell Kari didn't know why their Digimon kept running off to be together in private.

"I don't know but they've been doing that for awhile now," the brunette girl replied as she glanced back over to the door.

"Should we go and find out?" TK asked as his curiosity started to get the better of him.

"Nah, leave them to it," Kari decided as her gaze returned to her boyfriend. A smile slowly formed on her face as an idea came into her head. "I wonder if Digimon, you know, become couples?"

TK thought for a moment, mulling over if he had ever seen any Digimon couples in the past. A smile formed on his face too has he replied. "I've never heard of a Digimon couple but I guess they can be a couple if they want to be."

"I know they were joking about it a few days ago," Kari smirked as she remembered what Patamon had said. "They said something about a Whamon and Shellmon kissing."

The couple burst out laughing and remembered their impromptu first date and what their Digimon partners were discussing when the subject of kissing was brought up. The couple slowly slipped into a comfortable silence, sitting in their embrace and enjoying each other's company. They remained that way for several minutes until TK broke the silence with a sigh.

"What's wrong?" Kari asked as she turned her head so she could look at her boyfriend. She noticed the tiredness and stress showing in his facial expression as he gazed back at her. The brunette realised TK wasn't hiding the emotional pain he was going through, unlike earlier when other Digidestined were around. Kari didn't like seeing him like this but she was glad that he was always open with her and he always let her know the truth.

"I don't know how much more of this I can take," TK's stress came through in his voice as he spoke. He ran his spare hand through his blonde hair as he continued. "I can't think of a way to beat Neodevimon that doesn't endanger me or someone else."

"You can do it, TK," Kari replied in a supportive tone as she took both his hands in hers and gave them a tight squeeze. "I know how much it is hurting you to fight Neodevimon, I can see it in your eyes, but you never give up. You will find a way."

"My time is running out though," the blonde teen responded. He was not like his usual hope filled self, something that Kari attributed to the stress he was under.

"You will beat Neodevimon. You and Patamon have a tendency of leaving things to the last minute but in the end you always save the day," Kari spoke in a confident manner as she gave him one of her bright smiles. "And I'm always ready if you ever need someone to help you. I'm always here for you TK in the same way you're always there for me."

"Thanks Kari," TK weakly smiled back as some of his hope returned to his eyes, pushing the pain and stress back. "I hope I won't have to ask you for your help though. I just don't want you to get hurt. You know Neodevimon is targeting you."

"I know but I just want to make sure you're safe," Kari finished as she wrapped her arms behind TK's neck and pulled him towards her. The teens shifted their bodies into a more comfortable position that made it easier for them to kiss. They closed their eyes and opened their mouths just before their lips touched. Kari knew this was the best way to take their minds off Neodevimon.

* * *

I'm going to say another author's note before I finish today. As I mentioned at the end of the last chapter, I've written an alternative ending to this fic. It is the ending where TK fails to beat Neodevimon and I have now published it. It is called When Things Go Wrong. Please check it out if you like that sort of stuff.

And don't worry … this isn't the end of this fic, there is still a long way to go.

Anyway, please let me know what you think to this chapter by clicking the review button below =D


	17. Ready to Rumble

**Chapter 17: Ready to Rumble  
**

Heya peeps. Wow … just wow! This fic now has over one hundred reviews! So I'd like to thank everyone who has left a review for this story and an extra big thank you to those of you who regularly leave reviews. Those of you who regularly review keep giving me the motivation I need to keep writing this fic and I am truly honoured by your positive feedback. I hope you all continue to enjoy this story :D

And now, as per usual, the disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or anything copyrighted that is mentioned in this story. Patamon and Gatomon would get together if I did own it, just like they do in this chapter. Yes, there is finally some PataGato in this chapter for all you PataGato fans out there.

There is another author's note I'd like to make before I start this chapter. Davis fans please stick with me after this chapter because this chapter and the next two chapters are important parts of the story. They result in TK changing his strategy and coming up with a way to beat Neodevimon for the final battle. Well, Davis comes up with the idea now and TK uses it later on. I nearly changed this idea but I decided to stick with it because it was the only way I could think of to get TK to use Davis' strategy.

* * *

Davis sat on his bed as the Saturday morning light illuminated his messy bedroom. His dirty clothes were slung haphazardly across his blue carpet. School work and computer games littered the desk that housed his computer next to the window. Next to the desk were his TV, Playstation and Xbox with the controllers to both games consoles completely entangled. The light blue walls had posters of various models in bikinis stuck up all over them. It was a stereotypical teenage boy's room.

Veemon sat to Davis' right and was finishing off a glass of orange juice that he had with his breakfast. The little dragon appeared somewhat concerned and apprehensive about the conversation going on in the room, something that was shown by him lacking his usual cheerful demeanour.

"TK still isn't going to do anything today," Davis stated to his Digimon partner in a worried tone. He had just read a message on his D-Terminal from Izzy telling him that TK was not going to battle Neodevimon. "It's been three days since he last fought Neodevimon and the clock is ticking."

Veemon swallowed the last bit of his orange juice and placed the glass on top of the draws next to him. "I wonder why. Do you think there's a problem? I didn't think TK would ever back down from a fight, especially when the fate of the Digiworld relies on it."

"I'm not sure what the problem is. I've seen the amount of stress TK is under. He is trying to hide it but I can see it clearly in his eyes," the teen boy replied with his concern still etched across his face. "It is definitely taking its toll on him."

"I hope he does what ever he is going to do soon because there's about a week left until File Island is completely covered by Neodevimon's darkness. That will mean the rest of us Digimon can't do anything to save our world," Veemon sighed as he thought over what would happen if TK and Patamon failed.

"I know," Davis replied in a matter of fact manner before he clenched his fists. "Like I've said for a while, I hate being on the side lines and being unable to help. I don't like sitting around while some evil Digimon tries to takeover the Digiworld. I also don't like seeing my friends hurting like TK obviously is. I don't know what happened between him and Neodevimon but seeing TK's pain makes me want to be there fighting alongside him."

"Yeah," Veemon nodded his reply. "I guess there has to be a way we can help them without risking our lives."

Both the rookie Digimon and Davis placed their chins in their palms as they thought over possible ways to help their friends. The room became usually silent as their minds worked over all the possibilities.

Davis' face suddenly lit up. He clicked his fingers as an idea formed in his mind. "I've got it. I know what we can do."

"Really? What is it?" Veemon asked enthusiastically as he turned to face his human partner.

"It's a bit risky but I think it will work," Davis replied confidently with his fists clenched again. "We will let TK know that we're going into the Digiworld to fight Neodevimon. We go there and you digivolve. We'll try and stall Neodevimon for as long as possible so TK can turn up and the fight will be two on one. Hopefully you can distract Neodevimon long enough for Magnaangemon to land a killer blow."

"That sounds kind of dangerous," Veemon's enthusiasm had noticeably dropped as he shared his opinion. "Won't Neodevimon attack us like last time?"

Davis shook his head. "This is the best part of the plan. TK says Neodevimon wants to make him watch us die, which means TK must be there for that to happen. That means Neodevimon won't use his full power and that gives you a chance to beat him or at least keep him busy until TK turns up. Knowing TK, he will turn up very quickly and when he turns up we will be safe because Magnaangemon will protect us."

"But won't we be at risk when TK does turn up?" Veemon questioned, trying to work out the entire plan. "Wouldn't Neodevimon attack us like he attacked Metalgarurumon and Matt?"

"He'll try to do that but that will distract him and let Magnaangemon land the killer blow," Davis answered as he punched the air with his right fist. "The difference is we will already be there fighting so Neodevimon can't land a surprise attack like he did on Metalgarurumon. All we need to do is move fast and keep our eye on him at all times. You'll have to fight against him in the same way you fought Malomyotismon. Move quickly, dodge his attacks and hit hard when you can. It worked then and it will work now."

Veemon thought back to his battle with Malomyotismon one and a half years ago. The little dragon's confidence definitely grew as he remembered being able to stand toe to toe with the mega Digimon when he was only in his champion form. "I guess it could work like it did last time."

"It will work," Davis paused and placed his hand on the back of his head. "TK will be seriously pissed off with me for doing it though. I guess I can take a few punches from him if it means the Digiworld is safe and his nightmare is over. I know I'm risking my friendship with him but this can't continue. I'm not sure how much longer this can go on before he cracks."

Veemon nodded as his facial expression became a serious one. "Yeah, you're right. Let's go over what we're going to do so I have it clear in my head."

"We get ready and go into the Digiworld. We'll email everyone when we get there," Davis started confirming his idea. "This will make TK come chasing after us. You will digivolve and we'll head into the zone of darkness. We'll try to stall Neodevimon with a conversation until TK arrives. If that doesn't work, you'll have to fight him. Either way we are safe because Neodevimon won't kill us unless TK is watching. If we do end up fighting, you must move fast and strike when you can. You did it against Malomyotismon so you can do it against Neodevimon. TK and Magnaangemon will then show up and we'll have Neodevimon sufficiently distracted for them to kill him."

"And then we win," Veemon stated as he finished the plan for his partner.

"Exactly," Davis nodded. "Let's get ready to rumble."

* * *

A randomly placed TV monitor in the forest of File Island suddenly lit up. A beam of bright white light spread out across the grassy clearing, depositing its contents into the Digital World. The light faded away to reveal the human and Digimon that it had brought to this realm.

Davis pulled himself to his feet and quickly turned to face Veemon. The spiky haired teen pointed his digivice at the rookie Digimon. "Veemon digivolve!"

Another, different bright light emitted from the blue and white gadget and surrounded the little dragon. His form suddenly started to grow as two wings sprouted out from his back. "Veemon digivolve to Exveemon!"

The light died down and revealed the familiar blue and white Digimon with a grey cross on his chest. Exveemon quickly glanced around to make sure Neodevimon wasn't already attacking them. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realised the coast was clear.

"I'll send the message to the others now," Davis informed his partner as he pulled his D-Terminal out of his jacket pocket. The teen boy quickly typed his message before clicking send. He then changed the program on the gadget to the same program they used to determine which areas had control spires in two years ago. It was also the same mapping software they had used to track Blackwargreymon.

Davis glanced up from the screen and took in his surroundings. Despite it being the middle of the day, the sky was dark because of the cloud of darkness that hung over File Island. The spiky haired teen assumed this was the darkness caused by Neodevimon due to the centre of it being located directly over the Peak of Infinity Mountain.

The goggle-head noticed the dark cloud had lowered the temperature too as a cold wind blew through the forest, causing the trees to make creepy creaking noises. Davis then brought his sight to the two paths out of the clearing. He had done his research and knew one led into the zone of darkness and the other path, the one behind him, led to the beach.

Davis quickly glanced down to the map on his D-Terminal to double check he was going the right way before setting off down the path. "This way, Exveemon."

The old tall trees of the forest made the path even darker as they loomed over the muddy track. The canopy didn't fully cover the path, allowing Exveemon to fly above his partner to give him better protection. It also gave him a better view of any potential danger coming their way.

"Remember to move quickly and strike hard, Exveemon," Davis spoke in a serious tone that he rarely ever used. His eyes remained fixed on the screen of his D-Terminal, hoping it might alert them to Neodevimon's presence before they could actually see him.

* * *

TK and Kari pulled their lips away from each other as their kiss finished. The couple opened their eyes as smiles of pleasure spread across their faces. They were both on one of the sofas in the Takaishi apartment and had been watching TV until the desire to kiss one another took a hold.

Kari was kneeling over TK with her legs place either side of his. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and her back was bent so they were face to face. TK's right hand was still cupping the brunette's left cheek and his left arm was around her back as they continued to gaze lovingly into one another's eyes. The teenagers were in exactly the same position that they were in when they first kissed just over a week ago.

Kari slowly moved back and sat down on TK's thighs, keeping her eyes locked on his all the time. She slid her soft hands from behind her boyfriend's head to his cheeks. As she did this, TK placed his right arm with his left arm around the teen girl's back to make sure she didn't fall off the sofa. The couple slowly edged closer to each other again, going back in for another kiss. Their lips gradually moved closer and closer until they were suddenly interrupted.

The two teens pulled away from each other as they heard the sound of giggles coming from TK's bedroom. TK and Kari knew who were making the noise. They both glanced into the room through the open doorway but couldn't see either of their Digimon partners doing anything. The couple turned to face each other with puzzled and questioning expressions.

"What are they doing?" Kari asked as she carefully climbed off her boyfriend and stood up.

"I don't know," TK replied honestly as he pushed himself off the sofa and stood by the brunette's side. He took her left hand in his right hand, entwining his fingers with hers as he did so. "Let's find out."

The couple tiptoed over to the door and peeped inside the room. Smirks spread across their faces as their eyes locked onto Patamon and Gatomon. The two Digimon were sat on the green covers of TK's bed with their arms around each other's backs and they were just pulling back from a kiss. The Digimon then opened their eyes started to gaze lovingly into one another's orbs.

"It's about time," TK teased the Digimon as he and Kari stepped into the room. The Digimon spun to face TK and Kari as the two humans made their way over to them.

"You two look so cute together," Kari joined in as a genuine smile formed across her face to let her friends know she was happy for them.

"And how long has this being going on?" TK asked as he and the brunette teen stopped in front of the bed, waiting for an answer.

"It kind of just happened," Patamon answered truthfully as his mouth formed wide smile of joy.

"And now we're a couple like you two," Gatomon finished for her boyfriend.

"Aww, that's so cute," Kari remarked as she patted both of them on the head.

The moment was suddenly interrupted by a familiar beeping noise. The group instantly recognised it and shared worried glances before TK made his way over to his desk and picked up his grey D-Terminal. He flipped open the device and started reading the message he had received. The blonde teen's eyes narrowed and he clenched his fists.

"That idiot, he's going to get himself killed," TK growled in a mixture of anger, panic and concern. He spun around and hit the power button on his computer. The fans spun and the monitor lit up, signalling the machine had begun its start up procedures. "I've got to stop him."

"What's going on, TK?" Kari asked with her concern dominating her voice. "Who is going to get themselves kill?"

"Davis!" The teen boy replied as he punched the desk in frustration. He unclipped his white and green digivice from his belt as he waited impatiently for the computer to boot up.

"I'll get my D-Terminal and our shoes," Kari spoke with urgency as she spun on the spot and sprinted out of the room.

TK typed his password into the textbox on the screen as Patamon and Gatomon joined him at the computer. The Digimon were ready to go, even if it was only a mere minute after they had shared their first kiss. TK opened the digital gate software Izzy had installed on the computers of all the Digidestined and the blonde boy quickly searched for Davis on the map of File Island. A blue dot marked the spot where the goggle-head was and TK quickly selected the nearest gate.

"Here," Kari placed TK's green and white running shoes next to him. She had her pink and white digivice out, her D-Terminal in her pocket and her pink trainers already on. "I'm coming too."

"No, it's not safe," TK replied sternly as he slipped his footwear on and bent over to tie his laces. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm coming along with you whether you like it or not," Kari responded in a tone just as stern as her boyfriend's. "Someone needs to keep an eye on you and stop you from kill Davis yourself."

TK turned to face her but, before he could object again, Kari grabbed two fistfuls of his green shirt and pulled him into a kiss. The blonde boy found himself automatically returning the unexpected quick kiss. Kari pulled back and her stern glare fixed onto his eyes.

"I am coming with you," she reiterated her point, lifting her digivice up to the computer monitor as she spoke.

"Stay close to me, I don't want you to get hurt," TK gave in and turned to face his computer. He couldn't waste anymore time otherwise he could be too late to save Davis. The blonde boy's right hand clasped Kari's left hand as he also lifted his digivice to the monitor.

Kari entwined her fingers with TK's and gripped his hand tightly as she knew the risks they were taking. "I will. I'll do my best to hold on to your hand to let you know I'm still here, even though there's a chance we'll be caught and exposed as a couple."

"Good idea," TK nodded his head in approval before glancing over to the Digimon. "I know I won't have to say this but I'm going to say it anyway. Patamon, keep Gatomon safe too."

"Don't worry, I will," Patamon replied has he placed his paw on the cat Digimon.

TK nodded again before facing the monitor. "Right, let's go. Digiport open!"

With that command, the monitor lit up and emitted a bright white light that engulfed the couples. They were sucked into the computer screen by the light, which faded away after the Digidestined and Digimon were transported to the Digital World.

* * *

Davis and Exveemon had made it into the next clearing along the path when a black mist suddenly rose from the ground. It spread across the grassy floor like dark tendrils growing out of the ground. Neodevimon's form slowly rose out of the porthole created by the dark mist. The devil wasn't even going to wait for them to enter the area he had covered with darkness. He obviously wanted to fight them now.

"You again," Neodevimon laughed sadistically as he flew into the air. "You haven't even brought your DNA digivolution partner or Takeru and his angel with you. What chance have you got you fool?"

"We've been able to take on Malomyotismon without passing the champion level in the past," Davis stated firmly as he narrowed his eyes and fixed them on the devil Digimon.

"And we'll beat you, just like we beat Malomyotismon," Exveemon added as he positioned himself between his foe and his human partner.

"I'm not slow and bulky like Malomyotismon," Neodevimon stated in a matter of fact tone. "I am a lot faster and a lot more flexible than that failure of a Digimon."

The two Digimon started staring each other down, waiting for the other to make a move. In Neodevimon's case, he was waiting for TK to arrive so he could kill Davis and Exveemon in front of his nemesis. Exveemon was merely waiting for Neodevimon to make his move or Davis' order to attack.

"Let's do this for TK," Davis shouted as he clenched his fists. "Get him!"

The cross on Exveemon's chest began to glow a luminous orange colour as the champion level Digimon prepared his attack. The cross fired a laser beam straight towards Neodevimon. "Vee-laser!"

Neodevimon barrel rolled out of the way of the attack and flew directly at Exveemon. He drew his right claw back as he prepared for his assault on the champion Digimon. "Guilty claw!"

The demon thrust his claw forwards, aiming for the blue and white dragon Digimon. Exveemon reacted, knowing the manoeuvre was coming and dodged it by tilting to his left. The dragon swung his right foot towards his opponent's stomach as the devil's claw just missed him. The kick connected, forcing Neodevimon to double over. Exveemon clenched both of his fists and followed up with a double punch to the demon's back before powering up his main attack again.

"Vee-laser!" Exveemon bellowed the name of his attack. The orange laser fired from the cross on his chest again and struck Neodevimon squarely on the back. The devil was knocked out of the air and sent spiralling towards the ground.

"Yeah, that's the way to do it," Davis cheered his support as he watched Neodevimon smash face first into the ground.

"Vee-laser!" Exveemon roared again as he fired another attack towards his opponent. The laser cascaded towards the devil but missed as Neodevimon flew back up into the air and turned to face him.

The demon charged at him, drawing his claw back for another attack. A black ghost-like mist formed around Neodevimon's right claw as he powered up his next manoeuvre. He thrust his claw forwards, releasing the dark energy. The mist took the form of the devil's claw as it cascaded towards its target. "Stun claw!"

The attack barely missed Exveemon as he dived under it. The dragon then had to barrel roll to his right to avoid Neodevimon swinging his left claw in a follow up attack. Exveemon breathed a sigh of relief as he spun in midair and turned to face his opponent. The dragon Digimon's cross began to power up as he prepared for his main move yet again.

"Vee-laser!" Exveemon roared the name of his attack as he fired the orange beam straight at Neodevimon from point blank range again. The demon Digimon spun in midair and moved his red torn wings in front of his body to shield himself from the blow.

"Guilty claw." Neodevimon pulled his wings back before thrusting his claw forwards and striking Exveemon directly in the chest with the metal tips. The dragon Digimon screamed in pain as he lost his energy and reverted to Demiveemon.

"No!" Davis screamed in horror as he watched his partner's limp body fall to the floor. The in-training Digimon struck the ground hard, bouncing several times before skidding to a halt near the edge of the clearing. Davis sprinted over to his partner as quickly as his legs would let him, sliding to a stop as he reached Demiveemon. He knelt down and cradled his unconscious friend in his arms.

Neodevimon laughed manically. "I let you live last time we fought because I needed you to deliver a message to Takeru. Well, this time you won't be so lucky. Guilty claw"

Davis glanced up at the demon Digimon, watching him drawing his right claw back. Neodevimon suddenly drove straight at the teen boy, thrusting his claw forwards. Davis turned his back, trying to protect Demiveemon from the oncoming attack as he prayed for a miracle to happen. He wasn't expecting Neodevimon to attack him until TK was there …

* * *

I'm sorry about leaving you with another cliff hanger … please don't kill me. And Davis fans, please stick with me because he is going to survive and good will come from his actions in the next few chapters.

Hmm … today has been a busy day for me. I've published this chapter and another one-shot I've been writing. It's the first time I have published two things in one week, let alone two things in one day.

Please let me know your opinion of this chapter by clicking the review button below =D


	18. Fractured Group

**Chapter 18: Fractured Group**

Hi everyone. I'd like to thank all of you who reviewed the last chapter again. I'm sorry about killing the cliff hanger at the end of the last chapter. Hopefully the action in this chapter makes up for it. This chapter is also one of the longest chapters I've written so far.

I would also like to thank a few of my fellow writers who gave me the confidence to write this arc of the fic. I was worried about how Davis going into the Digital World would be perceived by everyone but they said this idea would work after I went over it with them. Again, thanks guys.

As normal, it is now time for the disclaimer before I start this chapter. I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted material I mention in this story. Veemon's knock-knock jokes would be banned if I did own Digimon. Davis agrees with me as he is also fed up of hearing them. That includes the ones about the person who tells knock-knock jokes, Veemon.

* * *

Davis turned his back, trying to protect Demiveemon from the oncoming attack as he prayed for a miracle to happen. He wasn't expecting Neodevimon to attack him until TK was there. Neodevimon dived straight for the spiky haired teen boy with his right claw out in front of him. Davis tightened his grip on his partner and found himself waiting for what he now realised was his inevitable end.

"Aurora beam!"

"Heaven's charm!"

Davis spun around to see Magnaangemon and Angewomon launching their attacks towards Neodevimon. The devil saw the manoeuvres coming and managed to barrel roll out of the way of Magnaangemon's rainbow coloured beam but was struck by the pink light energy of Angewomon's heaven's charm.

"Yeah! That's the way!" Davis cheered as he watched Neodevimon spiral towards the ground. The Devil smashed into the floor, sliding along it until he crashed into the trees at the edge of the clearing.

"Davis you idiot! What the hell do you think you are doing?" The spiky haired boy heard TK shout at him in a mixture of rage, frustration, disbelief and relief. He turned around to see his blonde friend and Kari sprinting towards him. He noticed TK was holding Kari's hand and was almost dragging her along behind him as she struggled to keep up with the basketball star's pace.

The two sprinting teens, in what Davis decided were his and hers matching white shirts and dark blue denim jeans, skidded to a halt as they reached him. The spiky haired teen, who was still cradling Demiveemon in his arms, pulled himself to his feet.

"Oh shit!" TK cursed as he grabbed Kari. The teen girl screamed as he lifted her off her feet and scooped her into his arms for reasons Davis couldn't quite understand. The goggle-head saw the fear on Kari's face as she wrapped her arms around TK's neck.

Davis watch TK suddenly lift his right leg up before the blonde boy kicked him straight in the side of his hip. The force of the kick was strong enough to knock the spiky haired boy off his feet and push him away. He watched TK falling too as the blonde boy used the kick to push himself and Kari away, creating a gap of several metres between them. Both Digidestined boys fell on their backs with TK using his body to break Kari's fall in the same way Davis' body broke Demiveemon's fall.

"Shit!" Davis mimicked TK's description from moments ago as a large claw shot straight out of the ground from the spot where the Digidestined stood a second ago. The claw was a ghost-like version of Neodevimon's claw that looked like it was formed from the dark energy the demon used in his attacks. Davis turned his head to glance over to where Neodevimon had hit the floor and saw the devil laughing with his right claw buried in the ground.

"Aurora beam!"

"Heaven's charm!"

Magnaangemon and Angewomon repeated the names of their attacks as they launched another wave of light energy towards Neodevimon. The demon glanced up and realised the attacks were coming his way. He pushed himself off the ground and into the air, using his wings to propel himself skywards. The attacks just missed the virus type Digimon, exploding on contact with the ground. The combined explosion from both angels' attacks was powerful enough to send several trees crashing to the ground with loud cracks.

Neodevimon flew to a safe distance from his opponents before he stopped and spun around to face them. The devil Digimon and the two angel Digimon hovered in the air as a standoff began. Both sides appeared cautious to make the first move.

Davis then glanced back over to his friends. He watched Kari helping TK back to his feet. The brunette thanked him for saving her as the grip of her left hand tightened around TK's right hand again. The spiky haired boy felt a prang of jealousy as he remembered the crush he once had on Kari. Obviously a part of him still had a crush on her but he forced it to the back of his mind as he reminded himself that he had moved on.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" TK roared at Davis as he turned to face the goggle-head. His eyes were narrowed and his anger was clearly etched across his face for all to see.

"Getting you to face Neodevimon two on one so you can beat him," Davis replied as he pointed at the two angel Digimon between Neodevimon and them. "I know you don't want me to do this and you can punch me later, but we need to get this over with."

"You don't get it, Davis!" TK growled back as he seethed with rage. "This is exactly what Neodevimon wants. He wants you and everyone else here in the Digital World so he can kill you!"

Neodevimon's manic and sadistic laugh echoed throughout the forest. If he wasn't wearing a mask, the Digidestined would have seen him licking his lips. "Takeru is right. This is exactly what I wanted."

"Shut up!" TK screamed at his nemesis as his glare left Davis and fixed onto the devil.

Davis noticed Kari squeeze TK's hand even more tightly before the goggle-head's eyes also gazed up at the demon Digimon still hovering in the air. To Davis, Neodevimon appeared somewhat frightened and respectful of TK's rage as a moment of silence crossed the battlefield.

The silence was suddenly broken by Neodevimon's twisted laugh again, which was even louder than before. "I'm going to kill your friend here," the demon taunted TK as he pointed to Davis before moving his finger in the direction of Kari. "Then I'm going to take your precious Hikari and give her to the Lord of the Dark World, Dragomon."

"Shut up!" This time it was Kari who had screamed in rage at the devil. Davis glanced over to her and noticed that she couldn't possibly hold TK's hand any tighter than she was doing. His eyes then saw the expression on the teen girl's face. Her eyes were narrowed, showing an anger that Davis had only ever seen from her one before. That was against Malomyotismon, someone who had wanted Kari dead in the same way Neodevimon wanted TK dead.

Davis' concentration returned to Neodevimon as the demon spoke. The goggle-head noticed the devil was now focusing on Kari. "He wants to make you his queen, my dear. That means he wants to do unimaginable things to you as he has his way with you."

"That's never going to happen!" Kari venomously spat back. Her left hand clenched into the tightest fist she could possibly make. "I won't let it happen and I know TK will not let it happen either! He will beat you, with or without our help. You are the only one who is going to die."

"You know either Takeru or Magnaangemon must die for them to beat me. It would be just like when Wizardmon had to die for you to beat Myotismon," Neodevimon taunted in a matter of fact tone. "I'm sure your hero, Takeru, has told you what happened during our battle five years ago."

Davis noticed Kari's eyes open wide and a look that was a mixture of shock and horror crossed her face as the devil suggested TK might have to die like Wizardmon did. The Digidestined of Light quickly recomposed herself. Her eyes narrowed again as TK glanced her way to make sure she was ok.

"He did," Kari growled, clearly not liking where the conversation was going. "They will beat you without anyone we care about dying."

"Takeru, Hikari, you both know someone you care about will die," the devil laughed. "Now, as your friend here said earlier, it's time to get this over with."

Davis watched Neodevimon's gaze lock on him. The demon started to form a black aura around his right claw as he powered up his attack. He pulled his claw back, getting ready to thrust it forwards towards the goggle-head. The teen boy, much to his relief, could see multicoloured light emitting from the purple sword of Magnaangemon and a pink aura forming around Angewomon's hands as the angels prepared to protect the humans.

"Stun claw!" Neodevimon roared the name of his attack as he thrust his right claw forwards. The movement unleashed the dark energy that had then taken on the shape of his claw as it cascaded towards its target.

"Aurora beam!" Magnaangemon yelled his manoeuvre's name as he fired another multicolour energy beam into the path of his nemesis' attack.

"Heaven's charm!" Angewomon had placed her hands out in front of her and used the pink energy to form a large cross as she pulled her palms apart. She released the light energy towards Neodevimon.

Davis sighed in relief as he watched the stun claw and aurora beam collided, causing a huge explosion that echoed throughout the Forest of File Island. His gaze then darted back to Neodevimon, who had just corkscrewed around Angewomon's attack and was now flying directly at the female angel.

Magnaangemon flew into his nemesis' path with Excalibur at full power. The male angel blocked the charging virus type Digimon as his sword and Neodevimon's claws came into contact with sparks flying. Angewomon backed off and powered up her main attack for a shot at the devil. A white bow formed from her left glove as a glowing white arrow took shape in her right hand. She placed the arrow on the bow and pulled back.

"Celestial arrow!" Angewomon called the name of the attack before releasing the arrow straight at Neodevimon's head. The demon just managed to dodge the attack by pushing away from Magnaangemon and ducking to his left. Angewomon launched another arrow straightaway, not letting up on her assault as the devil backed away from both angels.

Neodevimon spiralled out of the way of the second arrow too just as Magnaangemon fired his aurora beam from his purple sword. Angewomon launched a barrage of arrows to complement the other angel's attack, forcing their foe to loop up and out of the path of the assault. Neodevimon continued to corkscrew and barrel roll over and under the attacks as he looked for an opening to retaliate.

An opening appeared for the devil as he looped over an arrow from Angewomon and found himself facing Magnaangemon. He launched another stun claw at the male angel. Magnaangemon corkscrewed away from the attack and flew straight for the devil. Neodevimon dived away from his rival, knowing he would be an easy target for Angewomon if he was drawn into another test of shear strength with Magnaangemon.

The demon flew away from the angels again, constantly dodging their attacks, which were causing several explosions when they hit the ground. He then looped back around over another aurora beam and spotted an opening. The black energy reformed around his right claw before he thrust it forwards.

"Stun claw!" Neodevimon bellowed as he released the energy in the direction of the Digidestined. Davis found the attack was coming straight for him again and, with Demiveemon still in his arms, he turned and ran off to his right. He sprinted as fast as he could, noticing TK and Kari, still hand in hand, sprinting off to their left to avoid the attack.

The attack exploded as it hit the floor where the teens were stood a few seconds ago. It had fortunately missed the Digidestined and sent debris flying up into the air. The shockwave from the blast was powerful enough to knock the still sprinting teenagers to the ground and cover them in rubble.

Davis glanced over to his friends as he pulled himself to his feet and scooped Demiveemon back up into his arms. He shook some of the dust off as he watched TK help Kari back to her feet. The Digidestined of Hope and Light quickly dusted each other off before looking in the goggle-head's direction.

"We've got to get out of here," TK yelled as he retook Kari's left hand in his right hand. He then pointed back down the path with his left index finger. "Head back to the TV and set your digivice to take you to Izzy's house."

"But you guys have a chance to beat Neodevimon right now," Davis replied as he sprinted back over to the other teens.

"Now!" TK demanded as he gave the goggle-head a look that suggested he would rip his head off if he didn't do as he was ordered to. The blonde turned and looked up at the Digimon. "Magnaangemon, Angewomon, cover us as we head back to the gateway."

TK's sapphire eyes fixed back onto Davis eyes with a stern and angry glare. Davis conceded as he and the others turned and sprinted back down the path. "Fine, let's go."

The sounds of explosions could be heard overhead as the three Digidestined sprinted down the path through the forest and back towards the clearing. The trees passed by them in a complete blur as Davis ran as fast as he could while carrying his Digimon partner. Fortunately, that was about the same speed as Kari's maximum velocity and TK was keeping pace with her so the group wouldn't become split up and vulnerable to Neodevimon's attacks.

"I'm glad we do not have to run through the undergrowth this time," Kari panted as she glanced up to TK. She was referring to the last time she came to the Digital World and Neodevimon attack her, TK, Matt and Tai. "I don't think I could get my parents to believe me that everything is alright when I come home with shredded clothes for a second time."

The group suddenly burst into the clearing with the TV in and skidded to a halt, leaving a faint trail of dust behind them. The Digimon were still locked in battle with Neodevimon above their heads. The two angels and the demon were launching attacks at each other then dodging the next attack from their opponent before attacking again. It appeared to Davis that Neodevimon was on the back foot in this battle and that he could be defeated by the two angels working together.

"We need to get out of here guys," TK placed his spare hand to his mouth and yelled to the Digimon. "See if you can fend him off long enough for us all to get back to Earth."

"Right," the two angel Digimon replied in unison before launching another barrage of attacks at their foe.

Magnaangemon fired his aurora beam straight at Neodevimon as Angewomon tried to use her arrows to force the devil into the path of the beam attack. Both angels realised it wasn't working and took a quick glance at each other. They nodded in agreement as they formulated a plan without saying a word to one another. Magnaangemon quick fired his beam attack at Neodevimon, directing the flight path of the demon. Angewomon started her part of the plan as a pink glow started to form around her hands again.

The Digidestined stood next to the TV gateway back to Earth with their digivices in their hands. They had programmed the gadgets to take them straight back to Izzy's apartment where the others should be waiting for them. The teenagers watched as Angewomon released her heaven's charm attack at Neodevimon. The pink energy cascaded towards the devil and scored a direct hit on his back, sending him spiralling down into the forest.

Both Magnaangemon and Angewomon spun quickly, swooping down towards the humans and the gateway to safety. They de-digivolved to Patamon and Gatomon just as TK opened the porthole back to Earth. The white light of inter-dimensional travel sprung out of the screen and enveloped the three humans and Digimon, taking them to safety just in time. The light had just died down when a large ghost-like claw shot straight out of the ground and clasped the monitor. The dark energy crushed the TV and shattered it into data.

* * *

Mimi stood next to Izzy in the corner of his bedroom. She had already been around at Izzy's when everyone had found out that Davis had gone into the Digital World and that TK and Kari had gone to rescue him. Yolei, Ken, Cody and their Digimon were all sat on Izzy's bed, waiting for their comrades to return. They were panting and trying to get oxygen into their bodies because they had all just sprinted as fast as they could to Izzy's apartment. Tentomon and Palmon sat on the window ledge, out of the way of the computer just in case the digital gate suddenly opened.

"TK is going to rip Davis' head off," Mimi whispered into Izzy's ear so none of the others present could hear her. The young woman's voice showed her clear concern about the whole situation. "That's assuming that Neodevimon hasn't already done it."

"Yeah," Izzy nodded. His apprehension was also clear in his tone as he knew a massive brawl could quite easily breakout when the two younger teen boys returned, assuming they were both safe.

Izzy had set up his laptop on his desk with the digital gate software open, ready for his friends to return. The red haired genius glanced over to his yellow and white portable computer and, as if on cue, the monitor lit up. A bright light emitted from the screen and projected out into the room, depositing three humans and three Digimon before it died down.

The group returning from the Digital World were covered in dust, suggesting they had been close to some sort of explosion. Davis, who was still cradling Demiveemon, had a seriously relieved expression on his face. Kari, who quickly released TK's hand when she realised she was still holding it, also had a relieved expression etched across her facial features. However, TK's emotions were completely different. The blonde teen's eyes were narrowed and his fists were clenched as rage emanated from him. It was the same intensity that sent shivers up both Ken's and Cody's spines.

Davis stood up and placed his unconscious Digimon partner next to Yolei on Izzy's bed. The teen boy turned around and found TK glaring at him. The blonde boy pulled his clenched right fist back before thrusting it forwards and swinging it for Davis' face. TK's fist hit Davis flush on his left check as the goggle-head didn't have enough time to react. The impact of the punch lifted Davis off his feet, knocking him onto his back.

Everyone gasped as the younger teens and Digimon, except Kari and Gatomon, watched the strike with expressions of shock fixed on their faces. They weren't expecting it and seemed completely stunned by TK's actions. Kari, Mimi, Izzy and their Digimon looked as if they had expected it as Kari grabbed hold of TK's arm. The brunette tightly gripped her secret boyfriend's arm in hope that she might be able to calm him down.

Ken, Yolei and Cody suddenly jumped off the bed and ran over to their friends as what had just happened finally registered in their minds. Yolei and Ken knelt down to Davis and helped him off the floor. Cody ran over to TK and placed his arm across his DNA digivolution partner's chest to try and stop him from punching his friend again. Mimi and Izzy stood to one side with both of them being unsure of what they should do. Memories of when Matt and Tai fought during their original adventure five years ago came straight to the front of their minds and Izzy was glad his parents were out at the moment.

"I deserved that," Davis admitted sheepishly as he brought his left hand up to the sore spot on his check. He gently massaged the growing red mark where TK's fist had made contact with him. He had expected his friend to punch him but not with a shot that powerful.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" TK roared as he glared at Davis. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"No," Davis sighed as he ran the fingers of his right hand through the hair on the back of his head. "You have to believe me that I did this with the best of intentions."

"You did it with the best of intentions?" The blonde boy spat back venomously. "How the hell could you do that with the best of intentions? What were you thinking?"

"Please just hear me out," Davis pleaded as he held his hands up in front of him in a defensive posture.

TK glanced to his left at Kari to gauge her feelings about the situation. He could tell that she didn't want the two boys fighting so he decided he would give Davis a chance. TK fixed his stare back on the spiky brown haired boy and growled. "Fine, why did you do it?"

"TK, you need to get this over with and I thought that two of us being there would distract Neodevimon enough for Magnaangemon to kill him," Davis began explaining his actions to the incensed blonde in front of him. He stared down at the ground as he spoke. "I can see how stressed you are and how much this battle is taking its toll on you. All I wanted to do was help you beat him and this was all I could think of. I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

Davis' apology was genuine and he took his gaze off the ground, returning it to TK. He hoped his explanation was enough to calm down the slightly taller blonde teen but, when his brown eyes reconnected with TK's sapphire pair, he realised his friend was still extremely irate. TK's eyes were still narrowed and fixed on him, showing the same intensity that Davis assumed was the reason why both Ken and Cody feared the Digidestined of Hope when he was truly angry.

"And how did you think that running into the Digital World to fight Neodevimon would help relieve my stress?" TK retorted in an even angrier tone if it was at all possible. He snarled before continuing. "You're right, I do need to get this over with and it was nearly over when you came so close to dying. We had to save you twice! How is that going to help me? You stupid idiot!"

"I'm sorry!" Davis yelled back as his emotions started to get the better of him. He threw his arms down by his side. The goggle-head wished TK would believe him because he was telling the truth. "It didn't work out how I planned it."

That wasn't enough to stop TK's enraged rant. "You never think, Davis. You always rush into everything without giving it any real thought. You act so selfishly and you think that you always have to be the centre of everything. The whole world doesn't revolve around you. Why can't you have just left this to me?"

Davis' eyes narrowed as his anger started to build. He had told his friend the truth, hoping he would just understand that he had done it to help him. However, Davis was now getting enraged himself because what he considered were his unselfish actions were being called the exact opposite. "I was doing it to help you because it is quite clear that you are struggling. You look so tired and stressed and I don't want you to feel like that."

"And you thought that almost getting yourself killed by my nemesis would help?" TK spat back as he took a deep breath to stop him from punching the goggle-head again. He could also feel Kari's grip tighten further, if it was possible, in a gesture to try and stop him from hurting the other teen boy.

"I didn't plan on getting myself killed," Davis spat back more venomously this time. His anger was building more and more by the second. "Besides, you could have beaten him if we stayed. Magnaangemon and Angewomon had him on the ropes at the end there. If we stayed we would have won! If you let at least one of us help you then you will win. There's no I in team and we're here to help. This isn't just about you!"

"You just don't get it!" TK roared back as he shook with anger. "I'm not being selfish! I'm doing this to protect everyone I care about! It's the only way! But that's when someone who quite clearly doesn't care about his friends just goes off and does his own thing. You don't even care about Demiveemon. He could have been killed and, by the look of things, he nearly was. And, if it wasn't for me and Kari getting to you so quickly, you would have been killed too."

"At least Veemon and I are willing to risk our lives to save the Digital World," Davis spat as he clenched his fist. His next words unintentionally slipped out of his mouth. "Unlike you! You ran like a coward when you could have beaten Neodevimon!" Davis realised they were the worst possible choice of words he could have used as soon as he said them.

Kari gasped and her eyes shot wide open upon hearing Davis' words. She wasn't the only one to react like that. Gatomon, Mimi, Palmon, Izzy, Tentomon, Cody and Armadillomon all reacted in the same way. They all knew about the events that happened in TK's original battle with Devimon five years, unlike Davis, Yolei, Ken and their Digimon.

Kari could feel TK's whole body shaking and she knew he was about to blow a gasket. For reasons she couldn't explain, the brunette released her grip of her secret boyfriend's arm in a gesture that told him he could now do what ever he wanted without her reprimanding him.

Cody did a similar thing, standing back and moving his arm away from TK chest. Ken and Yolei also took a few steps back from Davis as the whole group realised the line had been crossed. Davis also realised that he had accidentally crossed the line but it was too late.

TK swung his right fist as hard as he could straight at Davis' left cheek. He made full contact with the side of the goggle-head's face, sending him flying back down to the floor. The blonde moved so quickly that he didn't give Davis a chance as he grabbed him by the collar. Blood was already dripping from the left side of Davis' mouth as TK picked him off the ground in one swift, powerful movement and slammed him as hard as he could against the nearest wall.

The back of the brown haired teen boy's head hit the wall hard as TK pinned him against it. Davis kicked around frantically as TK continued to hold him off the ground and pinned him against the wall by his collar. The spiky haired teen's hands tightly gripped onto the blonde boy's arms, as he hoped he could survive this fight.

TK glared into Davis' panic filled eyes with a menace rarely seen in him. "How dare you? You have no idea what I'm going through by facing Neodevimon again! You have no idea about the pain I feel, the memories he brings back every time I look at him!"

Tears started to form in the corners of TK's sapphire eyes and his breathing became staggered as he continued. "You don't know what it's like to have someone sacrifice themselves because it was the only way to beat an evil Digimon. You have no idea what it is like to watch your own Digimon sacrifice himself to save you! To just kneel there as you watch him slowly being deleted before your very own eyes and all I could do was cry like a fucking baby!"

TK let his tears roll freely down his cheeks as he released his true feelings about his battle with Devimon five years ago out into the open. He had managed to keep how much it had actually hurt him a secret from everyone except Kari, Patamon, Gatomon and Matt. They were the only ones who knew just how much it hurt him but, out of all them, Kari was the one who knew just how truly hurt he was because he couldn't do anything other than cry when Angemon died. The older Digidestined, the older Digimon, Cody and Armadillomon knew about what happened but they didn't know the true extent of the pain suffered by their friend.

Everyone's mouths and eyes were open wide in shock. Even those who knew about the battle were stunned by the sudden out pouring of emotion that Davis had brought out of TK. Even Davis had stopped moving as his eyes opened wide in horror. The spiky haired teen, along with Ken, Yolei, Wormmon and Hawkmon, had realised why it was so important to TK to keep everyone out of the Digital World and, therefore, keeping them safe. It all clicked, explaining why Neodevimon wanted to kill them all in front of TK to make him suffer. It clicked that Angemon had used all of his energy to kill Devimon in their battle five years ago.

TK huffed as he threw Davis across the room before crumbling to his knees. The blonde boy quickly buried his face into the palms of his hands to cover his tears and hide what he thought was his shame. He just knelt there crying as Kari quickly darted over to him.

Davis had landed hard on the carpet next to Izzy's bed. His eyes were still wide open as guilt flooded his mind. He quickly grabbed Demiveemon off the bed, deciding it was best if he left straightaway.

"I'm sorry, TK. I didn't know. You never told me. I would never have done it if you had told me. I'm truly sorry," Davis sincerely apologised before sprinting out of the room and then the apartment, leaving the others standing there in shock.

Kari knelt down to TK and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. She slipped her left hand up to the back of her boyfriend's blonde head before placing his forehead against her right shoulder. TK returned the embrace by wrapping his arms tightly around Kari's back as he cried into her shoulder.

"It's not your fault, TK," Kari spoke in a soft, caring tone as she tried to remind him that he wasn't to blame for the events of Angemon's battle with Devimon all those years ago.

"Kari's right," Mimi added in an equally caring tone as she knelt down besides the two younger teens and placed her right hand on TK's back. "There was nothing you could have done, TK. There was nothing any of us could have done."

Patamon was pulled into a tight hug too by Gatomon as his emotions finally spilled out. TK's sudden out pouring had clearly upset the rookie Digimon. Gatomon pulled her secret boyfriend into the same position as their human partners to try and comfort the little Digimon. Patamon let his tears flow freely, just like TK was doing.

"I think we had better leave," Yolei said as she ushered Ken, Cody and their Digimon towards the door of the bedroom. "See you in a bit."

"Yeah, good bye," Izzy replied as he knelt down besides TK as well. The genius watched Ken, Yolei, Cody and their Digimon leave before he also placed his hand on TK's shoulder in a supportive gesture.

* * *

Well, what do you guys think? There are still a few big things to come from all of this. The snowball affect leading to the final battle with Neodevimon has definitely begun. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter by clicking the review button below =D

One final note before I go. It's been another busy day for me again. I published a Takari one-shot earlier today and then just finished this chapter too. If you like Takari fluff then please check out the one-shot =) It is called The Question.


	19. New Found Respect

**Chapter 19: New Found Respect**

Heya everyone. Thanks for the reviews of the last chapter. They always give me the motivation I need to keep writing =D

And now, as usual, the disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted material I mention in this fic. If I did own Digimon then you would see the emotional TK more often.

Now it is time to pick up where the last chapter left off …

* * *

It was mid-afternoon and the Sun shone brightly in the clear sky over Odaiba Park, giving the kids the perfect weather for their school summer break. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the trees and cooled the air enough to make the hot weather pleasurable. It was turning into a perfect summer for those who could enjoy it. However, the moods of three teenagers and their Digimon partners were in stark contrast to the brilliant weather and the mood of the other people in the park.

Ken, Yolei, Cody and their Digimon had headed to the park after they left Izzy's apartment. None of them had wanted to head for home after the events that had just taken place. The group hadn't said a word after they left their friends and agreed to go to the park. It remained that way even after they all took a seat in the shade under a large oak tree. Ken and Yolei had their arms around each other as the group sat in a circle, thinking about the sudden outburst of emotion that TK had just had.

"Did you know about TK loosing Patamon to Devimon?" Yolei finally broke the extremely long and uncomfortable silence as she gazed across the circle at Cody.

"Yeah," Cody replied sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I knew it hurt him and that was why I never said anything to anyone else, but I never knew it hurt him that much."

"When did you find out?" Hawkmon inquired, wanting to know how long the youngest Digidestined was kept in the dark about his DNA digivolution partner's past.

Cody sighed and ran the fingers of his right hand through his black hair. "I found out when Matt told me while we were battling Blackwargreymon and neither Matt nor TK gave me any major details about the fight. They both just said that Angemon had to use up all of his energy to beat Devimon. TK was actually so angry with Matt for telling me that he didn't really speak to him for two weeks. I'm just glad none of his anger was ever directed at me."

"I guess it explains so much," Ken sighed as he thought aloud.

"What do you mean?" Yolei asked as she glanced at her boyfriend and waited for an answer.

Ken ran his spare hand through his violet hair as he thought about how to word his reply. "Well, I've being through similar events to TK and, now that I think about it, I can see all the signs that show he's lost someone he cares about in the past. They're all there for us to see but we just never noticed them."

"I know watching someone you care about dying in front of you is something you will never get over," Yolei spoke softly as she tightened her hold of her boyfriend, remembering that he lost Wormmon as well as his older brother, Sam.

"I can see all of TK's mental scars now and I can see just how deep they go," Ken sighed again. "No wonder he's never told any of us and it's no wonder he snapped when Davis called him a coward."

"Yeah," Yolei replied as she started to think over something. "I wonder why TK never said anything to you after you lost Wormmon."

* * *

The Saturday evening sunlight radiated through the windows of the Takaishi apartment, illuminating the living area. TK and Kari lay quietly on one of the black and grey sofas in a tight embrace. Gatomon was with Patamon in TK's bedroom, trying to cheer up the rookie Digimon after his human partner's nerve finally cracked under all the pressure put on him by their battles with Neodevimon. The two couples were alone in the apartment after TK's mother was called into work after an emergency situation arose.

Kari lay on her back on the sofa with her right arm tightly wrapped around TK, who was lying on his side. Both his arms were wrapped tightly around Kari and his right leg was draped over her waist. The brunette gently stroked TK's blonde head as he kept his face buried in her right shoulder, which was now soaking wet from his tears.

The Digidestined of Hope had managed to hold back his tears long enough for him to somehow convince Izzy and Mimi that he would be ok but Kari knew him better. She knew he was putting on a brave face and sure enough he broke down crying again as soon as the door to his apartment was closed. Kari had lost track of how long they had been lying on the sofa like that but she didn't care because she knew she would stay with TK until he was alright.

"There was nothing you could have done and it's not your fault," Kari said in a soft caring tone. She didn't know how many times she had said those words to TK after he had broken down in tears. The brunette wondered if her boyfriend was having a mental breakdown and if this would be how everything started to end for the Digidestined. No TK would mean no hope of beating Neodevimon.

"I know how much it hurts," Kari continued as she thought about the pain caused by her having to watch Wizardmon sacrifice himself to save her and Gatomon from Myotismon. The brunette knew that even that wasn't as painful and haunting as having to watch your own Digimon partner die, even though she had never been through that experience.

Kari gently placed her right cheek against TK's head. She could hear his sniffles and feel his tears as they flowed out of his closed sore eyes. The brunette sighed and squeezed him a little tighter with her right arm. She decided to change her approach because she knew she was the only person who could remove his guilt.

"I love you no matter what," Kari stated truthfully as a soft whisper into her boyfriend's right ear. She continued to stroke his golden blonde hair in a comforting way as she waited for him to reply.

"I love you too," TK replied in a shaky and weak voice. He didn't move his head from Kari's shoulder as he spoke. "Thanks for being here for me."

"I'll always be here for you, TK. Just as you'll always be there for me," the brunette replied as a smile tugged at her lips. "We love each other and we are best friends all rolled into one. That means you know when I'm lying and you know I'm telling the truth when I say what happened five years ago wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could have done."

Kari pulled her head away from TK's as she slid her left hand from his hair, down his cheek and under his chin. She lifted his head off her tear soaked shoulder and tilted it so she could see into his eyes. The teen girl noticed straightaway that her boyfriend's eyes were a sore red colour as she watched more tears silently flow down his cheeks. Seeing him like this was painful to her and she knew she had to make it better.

"Look into my eyes, TK. I know you can tell when I'm lying, so you can see I'm telling the truth right now," Kari stated again as her mahogany brown eyes fixed onto her love's flooded orbs. "There was nothing you could have done. Patamon had to do it to save you, everyone and everything. If Gatomon were to die, I know I would fall to my hands and knees and cry until I couldn't cry anymore because that's all I would be able to do in that situation. It doesn't make you a crying little child. It makes you strong for letting your feelings out and not keeping them bottled up inside and fearing them. You're the strongest person I know, TK, and, when it comes down to it, you're every bit of a man as Tai or Matt if not more."

Kari then moved her head forwards, closing the small distance between her mouth and TK's. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth as she pushed her lips against her boyfriend's. The brunette could feel TK returning the kiss as their soft lips brushed over one another's, sliding back before pushing forwards for more.

The teen girl pulled back and opened her eyes. The kiss was a short one and a show from Kari to tell TK that she was there to support him not matter what. It didn't need to be a long kiss as it got the message across.

She realised she could taste TK's salty tears that had rolled down his face and onto his lips. Kari found she had to push a sickening thought to the back of her mind. In the pass week alone she had tasted both TK's blood and tears.

Kari watched TK slowly open his bloodshot eyes and heard him sigh. She slid her hand back up to his soft golden blonde hair and started running her fingers through it. The teen girl noticed TK's tears had stopped flowing and he finally seemed to be recomposing himself.

"Davis is right, I'm a coward," TK sighed again as his eyes remained fixed on his girlfriend's.

"No you're not," Kari reprimanded him instantly because she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You are the bravest person I know. You're facing your worst nightmare by having to face Neodevimon again and a lesser person would not be able to do that. You've also saved me from so many dangerous situations, like the Dark World and Piedmon. You didn't back out when you came to save me from those creatures in the Dark Ocean despite not knowing what dangers where there. You're my hero."

"Thanks," TK smiled weakly before pursing his lips. "But Davis is still right. I'm frightened because I don't want anyone I care about to be in danger."

"That's normal, TK," Kari interrupted him. "We all feel like that."

"Yeah but you don't stop everyone from fighting alongside you," the blonde continued. "You still let everyone help you."

"I didn't when I had problems with the Dark Ocean," Kari contradicted him as she thought back to how she had tried to hide that there was a problem but, as always, failed to hide it from TK.

"Look how that turned out," TK stated bluntly as a serious look formed in his eyes. "Davis is right. I should put my fear to one side because Magnaangemon has come closest to beating Neodevimon when he's had help. I think Magnaangemon and Angewomon have almost beaten Neodevimon both times they've faced him together. I need some help."

"It still doesn't make you a coward. I don't like anyone calling my hero and love a coward because it's just not true," Kari sighed before she closed her eyes and closed the distance between her lips and his. Their lips met again and TK willing accepted the kiss.

Their mouths glided back and forth over each other's as the kiss continued. Kari felt TK's right hand move up and behind her head to keep it tilted as he moved onto all fours over her. The brunette reacted to her boyfriend's movements by sliding both her arms up around his neck to keep his lips against hers.

The couple breathed through their noses as their show of love continued. Both of them were glad that nobody, except their Digimon, was around to catch them in the position they were in. The kiss kept going for several minutes before they finally pulled away from each other, opening their eyes to see smiles forming on one another's faces.

The couple were both panting heavily as TK lay back down onto his side. Kari responded by rolling onto her right side so she could gaze into her love's eyes again. Their arms tightened the embrace they were in, as neither of them wanted to let go.

"Will you come with me tomorrow so I can apologise to Davis?" TK asked before they could slip into their usual comfortable silence. "I might need your support."

"Sure, TK," Kari gave him a tight squeeze before closing her eyes and opening her mouth for another kiss.

* * *

Ken and Wormmon followed Davis through the doorway and into Davis' cluttered bedroom. The violet haired teen was used to seeing his best friend's room in such as mess that it was now normal to him. As per usual, Davis' blind was down and blocking out the Sunday morning sunlight so it didn't reflect off his TV screen. The spiky haired boy's dirty clothes and school work were randomly thrown across the room like in any stereotypical teenage boy's room.

Davis had asked Ken to come around to his apartment so they could talk over the events that happened in the Digital World and afterwards at Izzy's. The goggle-headed boy seemed really unsure of what to do about all of it for once in his life.

"Thanks for coming over, Ken," Davis spoke in a sombre tone as he took a seat on his bed next to Veemon. His left cheek was swollen and a painful red-purple colour where TK had punched him twice. "I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem," Ken replied, giving his best friend a reassuring smile as he and Wormmon sat down next to their DNA digivolution team mates. "I can imagine you want some advice after everything that happened yesterday."

"Yeah," Davis nodded as he glanced over to the violet haired boy. "I never knew TK lost Angemon to Devimon. I can't believe it but I can understand why he never spoke about it. We never really speak about, you know … Kimeramon."

"Yeah, it is a really personal thing and, the more I think about it, the more obvious it is that something like that has happened to TK," Ken sighed as he thought about TK's emotional reaction towards him when he was the Digimon Emperor. He had inadvertently taken TK to the Dark Whirlpool where they found Devimon. Then his thoughts moved on to the battles with Blackwargreymon and TK's actions during those fights. "The emotional scars it has left on TK are there for all of us to see and they run really deep into his psyche. It's just that us newer Digidestined, except maybe Cody, have never noticed them."

"I'm guessing Kari knows about it," Veemon stated in a matter of fact tone. "She's spent so much time with TK recently that I think she must know. Also TK and Kari never keep secrets from each other."

"That's probably true," Ken answered the blue dragon. "It is obvious to everyone that Kari has been doing her best to help TK through his nightmare with Neodevimon."

"They've spent even more time together than normal since all of this has started, if that is at all possible," stated Davis, as he decided to shift the conversation on to the reason he had asked Ken to visit him. "TK's asked me if I can meet both him and Kari later to talk things over."

"How did you reply?" Ken inquired, wanting to know if Davis was ready to meet TK face to face after what had happened.

"I said I would meet him," the goggle-head replied as he placed his elbows on his knees and his chin into the palms of his hands. "I have to apologise to TK. I shouldn't have done what I did because it put Veemon's, Kari's, Gatomon's, Patamon's and TK's life in danger, as well as my own. It was stupid of me, like TK said."

"Has he calmed down?" The teen genius asked. He was worried about his best friend's health because he knew from his own personal experience just how dangerous an angry TK can be.

"Yeah," the spiky haired teen nodded. "Otherwise I doubt he would have sent me an email asking me to meet him. Besides, I feel I have to meet him. I've never seen TK like that. When he fell to his knees and tried to hide the tears flooding out of his eyes. I did that and friends should never do that to each other. It was exactly what I was trying to avoid by going into the Digiworld but instead I caused the thing that I was trying to stop, if that makes sense."

"Sometimes the worst possible things can be done with the best of intentions. It has happened in the past and it will happen again. You're not the first or the last person to make a mistake like that," Ken tried to reassure his best friend.

"I know," Davis simply replied as he ran his fingers through his brown hair.

"When are you going to meet him?" Ken wanted to know because he was thinking about speaking to TK about the events involving Kimeramon that occurred two years ago.

"Midday at the seafront," the spiky haired boy answered before taking a quick glance at the clock to see how long he had before he needed to be there.

"Please could you tell TK that I'll probably phone him when Yolei starts her shift in her parent's convenience store?" Ken sounded sombre as he spoke because the feelings about loosing Wormmon were now at the forefront of his mind. "I want to speak to him about … well … you know … two years ago."

"Sure, Ken. Thanks for coming to see me," Davis gave his friend a smile that showed his gratitude. "I felt as if I needed to talk this over with someone before I went to see TK."

"It's no problem. I'm glad I could help," Ken placed his hand on Davis' back as he pushed his thoughts about Kimeramon to the back of his mind. He then glanced over to his friend's alarm clock and shifted to stand up. "I had better get going. I said I would be at Yolei's in ten minutes."

"Ok," Davis nodded as the group all stood up and headed for the door. "Thanks again."

* * *

A few white fluffy clouds floated around in the bright sunny skies above Tokyo. It was nearly midday and the sidewalks of the streets we bustling, offering the perfect anonymity to secretly dating teenagers. Just like all the busy people on the streets, the couple had to be somewhere too. At least the place where they were heading towards was going to be somewhat more peaceful than the streets.

TK, who was wearing a white short sleeved shirt and blue denim shorts, was walking hand in hand with Kari. The secret couple's fingers were entwined as they made their way towards the seafront. Kari, who was wearing a spaghetti strapped pink tank top and a relatively short black skirt, had a large pink bag slung over her shoulder in which Gatomon was hiding. Patamon, unlike his girlfriend, was in plain sight of the public as he sat on TK's right shoulder. The public seemed to generally ignore the rookie Digimon, thinking he was probably just a toy of some type and the teenagers were on their way to some convention.

All four of them were in much higher spirits than last night. Kari had managed to return TK's smile to his face before she and Gatomon had left their secret boyfriends to go home. They had left when TK was hugging Patamon tightly, reminding the rookie Digimon of just what a great friend he was to him and how happy he was to be his partner.

TK and Kari walked out of the crowd when they reached a set of concrete stairs that lead down to a path along the seafront. The couple broke the contact between their hands as they headed down the steps and in the direction of two familiar figures. Davis, who was in a blue t-shirt and black shorts, was standing with Veemon, looking out across the ocean. The sunlight reflected of the goggles that sat on top of his head, making Davis unmistakable. Both TK and Kari were shocked to find that their friend had arrived early for once, especially given his reputation for being late for almost everything.

The secret couple made their way over to their friend and felt somewhat uncomfortable as he glanced up and noticed them. They could see from his facial expressions that he felt the same way.

"Hey dudes," Davis greeted them with a weak smile as he nervously shifted the weight of his body from his left foot to his right foot.

"Hey," TK and Kari replied in unison as their body language showed the tension in the air was affecting them too. Both of them noticed the swelling of their friend's left cheek straightaway.

"I'll be blunt and get straight to the point, like I always do," Davis sighed and looked TK straight in the eye. "I'm sorry dude. Please forgive me for everything that happened yesterday. I had no idea about the history between you and Neodevimon and I wouldn't have done that if I had known. I can't imagine how bad it must be to watch your Digimon partner die and not be able to do anything about it. You're right, I never think before I act and it was so stupid of me. I'm sorry and I hope we can still be friends."

"Thanks," TK smiled, somewhat relieved that they weren't going to fight. "I'm sorry too."

Davis' eyes shot wide open as a shocked expression formed across his face. He had never expected to hear an apology coming his way because he thought that all the events of yesterday were entirely his fault. "What have you got to be sorry about? And don't say the punches because I deserved those."

"You were right," TK sighed as he glanced at Kari before fixing his eyes back on Davis'. "I need help but I've been too frightened to let anyone else fight alongside me. I'm so scared that I might loose someone to Neodevimon again that I just felt I had to do this alone. You were right about Magnaangemon and Angewomon having the advantage over Neodevimon but I was too scared to stay and let them fight him because he nearly got us all with his guilty claw attack."

A smile formed on Davis' lips because he was relieved to hear his friend was holding no grudges against him. "You're one of the strongest people I know, TK. You're facing your worst nightmare right now and a lesser man would have cracked a long time ago."

"That's what I said," Kari smiled as she placed her right hand on TK's left shoulder in a gesture of support.

Gatomon poked her head out of Kari's back and joined in the conversation. "A lot of people would have just run away from something like this where as you and Patamon have stood up to Neodevimon and done your best to protect us all."

"Which just isn't enough," TK muttered as he let his head drop and his gaze fix onto the paved path. "I can't do it alone."

"Don't you dare speak like that or I'll have to punch you," Davis sternly replied to his blonde friend's comments. "You will beat Neodevimon. You and Patamon are more than strong enough and any of us Digidestined are willing and ready to help you. All you need to do is ask!"

Kari placed her left hand under TK's chin and brought the gaze of his sapphire eyes to her mahogany pair. "Davis is right. We are always willing to help you. As I've said to you many times before, I will always be there for you and all you need to do is ask. It doesn't matter what time it is or where we are, I will do everything in my power to be there for you."

"Thanks guys." A grateful smile formed across TK's face as he responded to his friends. He found himself desperately struggling to not kiss Kari at that moment and, judging from her expressions, she was fight just as hard not to kiss him in front of Davis and Veemon.

Davis placed his right hand out in front of him and caught the attention of his blonde friend. Kari let her hands slide off her secret boyfriend as he clasped Davis' hand in his. The two friends bumped shoulders and placed their left hands around each others backs, patting the other's back a few times.

Davis laughed as the two friends released each other's hands and returned the distance between them. "I guess I now know why Ken, Cody and even Neodevimon quake in their boots when you're angry. There is nobody more intense than you when you are seriously pissed off. Neodevimon even backs off scared when you yell at him."

"I guess I do let my emotions get the better of me sometimes," TK laughed too as he and the other teens turned and placed their elbows on the steel rail between them and the sea. The group entered a comfortable silence as they gazed out over the ocean. The calm atmosphere was in stark contrast to the tension they all felt at the start of the conversation.

Davis started to think over the battle with Neodevimon and he suddenly remembered he had seen TK and Kari holding hands throughout the battle. A mischievous smirk began to spread across his face. He was never one to turn down a chance to have a little banter with his friends.

"Did you two enjoy holding hands during the battle yesterday?" The teen boy teased his friends as he glanced to his left to gauge their reactions. He watched their faces turn bright red and a look of panic crossed them as they glanced at each other.

TK was the one who answered him as he turned his blushing face around to his goggle-headed friend. "We're just best friends and nothing more. I was only holding her hand to make sure she was safe. Neodevimon is after her too you know."

"You always use the best friends excuse. In fact you have used it so much that I'm not sure I believe it anymore," Davis continued as his smirk grew. He noticed both of his friends gulped nervously and he realised something more was going on. "You two spend all your time together and it's like you're secretly dating. You don't even give a chance to any of the people who have asked out either of you. Oh and it's so clear you both have feelings of affection towards one another."

"All of this coming from the boy who had the biggest crush on me in two worlds?" Kari shot back in an attempt to throw Davis off their trail.

The teen boy laughed before he replied. "Even I can see you two would be perfect for each other. I'm not as stupid as Yolei thinks or suggests I am. Besides, Kari, you rejected me several times and I had to move on because you are clearly in love with our dear friend Takeru."

Davis watched Kari fidget with the strap of her bag. She looked extremely uncomfortable with where the conversation was going so the goggle-head decided he would keep his reputation of being blunt and ask them the question that was now on his mind. "So, why are you two not dating?"

TK and Kari glanced at each other. They were having an entire conversation just by exchanging facial expressions and they reached a decision quickly. The teens both sighed as they placed their chins into the palms of their hands.

"Tai would kill me," TK replied, sounding somewhat despondent as he looked out across the ocean.

"And Matt would kill me," Kari added, sounding equally down about the subject as she seemed to gaze at the same spot of ocean that her blonde companion was staring at. "Then there's the reaction of the rest of the Digidestined and our friends at school. And that's not including the reaction of TK's fan girls, who would probably kill me."

Davis couldn't believe what he was hearing. His eyes and mouth were wide open as he realised they were actually admitting they were attracted to each other. His look of shock was soon replaced by a huge smile. "Don't give me that. You both have been through worse things so that is really no excuse."

TK and Kari glanced at each other again, having yet another silent conversation. This one lasted much longer than the first one as several more expressions were exchanged before TK turned back to Davis with his answer.

"You never give up, do you?" The blonde teen huffed as he let his arms drop down by his sides in defeat.

"Nope," Davis' mischievous smirk returned as he thought he was about to gain a victory and help push his friends into a new stage of their relationship.

"Fine, we'll tell you the whole truth but you have to promise to keep it a secret," TK's expression was a serious one as he replied to his friend. "If you don't then I will actually kill you."

"I promise you my friends that I will not say anything," Davis placed his left hand on his blonde friend's arm. "You have my word as a man."

"I promise too," Veemon added. He was clearly happy his friends were admitting their true feelings towards one another.

"We're already a couple," Kari dropped the bombshell. "We've only been dating for a week, well ten days, but we both have loved each other for a lot longer."

TK took over from Kari as he added more to their revelation. "With all that has been going on recently, our feelings just came out. We just couldn't hold them back any longer."

An expression of shock returned to Davis' and Veemon's faces. Both of them had absolutely no idea Kari and TK were actually secretly dating and their expressions didn't change as TK placed his right hand under Kari's chin. They watched as the blonde boy tilted his girlfriend's head to the side and closed the distance between them. Patamon flew off TK's shoulder to make it easier for his partner to do what he was about to do.

The couple closed their eyes and opened their mouths as their lips met in a passion filled, affectionate kiss. Their lips glided back and forth over and over again in the couple's first public display of their true feelings. Eventually the kiss ended and they glanced over to Davis to gauge his feelings.

"You mean the rumours about you secretly dating were true?" He asked incredulously while the look of shock remained etched across his face.

"Yeah," Kari replied as a mischievous smirk of her own started to form across her lips. "Can we trust you to keep it a secret? We're not really ready to go public with this yet."

"Yeah, of course you can," Davis managed to shake off his shock as he thought about what he had just seen. He was genuinely happy for both of them. "I'm glad you two are finally a couple. It took you long enough."

"You can say that again," Patamon commented, making the whole group burst out laughing. Somehow he and Gatomon had managed to keep their relationship a secret throughout the conversation and they didn't really have any intentions of sharing their secret at that moment in time.

"We'll leave you to have some together time. I won't say a word to anyone about you two," Davis announced as his laughed subsided. He wore a smile on his face that showed he was definitely happy with the outcome of what was a truly awkward conversation at the start. His expression then changed as he remembered what Ken had asked him to tell TK earlier. "TK, I'll give you a heads up. Ken wants to speak to you later about Kimeramon. He'll probably phone you when he escapes Yolei's clutches."

TK's mood dropped suddenly as he thought about that potential conversation with Ken. "Ok, thanks for the warning."

Davis nodded before he and Veemon exchanged their goodbyes with their friends and headed for home, leaving the couple alone. The goggle-head was happy that he managed to repair the damaged he felt he had caused to his friendships with both of them and he even found out that they were in a secret relationship. Davis felt that actually his friendships with them both were the strongest they might have ever been now they were being honest with him.

* * *

TK and Kari stood at the entrance to Odaiba Park, waiting for Ken and Wormmon to arrive. Patamon and Gatomon were sat on the stone wall behind their partners and were finishing off a pizza that was just brought for them. The Sun was slowly making its way to the edge of the skyscraper covered horizon as the evening temperatures slowly started dropping.

Ken walked around the street corner and into view of the couple. They could tell from the teen boy's body language that he was definitely uncomfortable about the conversation they were about to have. Weak smiles formed on all of the teen's faces as Ken walked up to the group and placed Wormmon on the wall next to Patamon.

"Hey Ken," TK welcomed him. "How are you?"

"Hi guys," Ken replied nervously. "I'm good thanks and you? Are you ok, TK?"

"Yes thanks," the blonde answered as he watched Ken shift uneasily. "I managed to sort everything out with Davis earlier."

"That's good," the violet haired teen gazed down at the floor as he spoke in a sombre tone. "I'll get straight to the point like Davis usually does. I'm sorry. I know it is two years late but I'm sorry for taking you to the Dark Whirlpool were you saw Devimon again."

TK placed his right hand on Ken's shoulder as a reassuring smile spread across his face. "It's ok, Ken. You weren't in full control of your actions and you don't need to apologise."

Ken let out a hollow laugh. "You know it's kind of ironic that you tried to stop me from having the same cruel fate that you had suffered at the hands of Devimon," the pain in Ken's voice was clear as he tried to hold back his tears. "If only I had listened to you. I've never said what I'm about to say to anyone other than Wormmon. I wish you had beaten me until I couldn't stand and stopped my reign as the Digimon Emperor when we got into that fight inside my base."

The violet haired teen continued to fight back his tears and the guilt that Wormmon's death had always made him feel. His memories about his actions as the Digimon Emperor and the battle with Kimeramon flooded to the front of his mind. TK quickly pulled his friend into a hug, placing the other boy's head against his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him.

"It wasn't your fault," Kari tried to reassure him as she moved over to the two boys and placed her right hand on Ken's back. "You were under the control of the Powers of Darkness. There was no way you could have done anything about it. Myotismon and the Lord of the Dark World are the ones to blame for all that happened because they are the ones who forced you to do their evil bidding."

"I know how much it hurts," TK's voice turned solemn as he tried to comfort his friend.

"The pain never goes away, does it?" Ken asked in a quivering voice.

TK sighed and clenched his teeth in an attempt to keep his emotions from spilling out again. He knew he was going to have to say what he was about to say sooner or later. "No, it doesn't. That's why I never said anything about the battle with Devimon to you. I'm supposed to be the Digidestined of Hope and that means I'm meant to give you hope for a better future but I couldn't because I'm still haunted by my past. But we have to take this pain and use it to make us stronger. You've done it in the past and you can do it again, Ken."

"You're right. We have to use it to motivate us to make sure nothing like that ever happens to someone we care about again," the teen genius replied as he lifted his head off his friend's shoulder and took a step back from TK. "It just can get somewhat overwhelming at times, as you know."

It was TK's turn to let out a hollow laugh this time. "Yeah, just look at me yesterday. It just got too much for me to handle and I snapped."

Kari sighed. "I know I haven't lost Gatomon but I do know what it is like to watch someone die trying to save your life. I'm often haunted by the events that took place five years ago when we fought Myotismon for the first time. Wizardmon had to sacrifice himself to save me and Gatomon. I don't think any of us will ever get over events like those."

"Yeah, it's just too painful to forget," Ken nodded in agreement before he pursed his lips.

"But, like TK said, we have to use it to make us stronger," Kari finished as she placed a hand on both boy's shoulders.

"The fear of loosing someone again is definitely a powerful motivator for me," TK stated as he thought about all the times the idea of loosing someone had made him fight. That someone was usually either Kari or Patamon.

"That's for sure," Kari added, glancing at TK as she said it. The blonde boy instantly knew her fears about loosing him to Neodevimon were at the forefront of her mind at that moment.

"We just need to do our best to make sure nobody else suffers from the same fate as us," Ken spoke in a more determined voice. "I just wish I'd listened to you, TK, when you tried to tell me."

TK's gaze left Kari and fixed back onto Ken. "And I wish I could have done something differently when we originally fought Devimon but what happened has happened and we have to live with it."

A moment of silence fell over the group as they thought over everything. It was Ken who was first to say something, catching TK off guard with his question. "Do you feel like you will gain some form of redemption by beating Neodevimon?"

The blonde teen paused and thought about it for awhile. "No, I don't think so. Like I said, I think watching Angemon die will always haunt me but I won't truly know the answer to that until we beat Neodevimon."

* * *

I think this is the longest chapter I have written for this fic so far. I was even thinking of splitting it into two chapters because it was getting so long but in the end I decided not too. I hope the last scene didn't seem too rushed. I wanted to write more for it but nothing was coming into my mind so I went with that. I hope you guys still liked it. Please let me know your thoughts by clicking the blue review button below =D


	20. Survive Together or Die Together

**Chapter 20: Survive Together or Die Together**

Heya peeps. As always, I would like to thank all of you who left reviews of the last chapter before I start this one. Cheers =D

And you all know the disclaimer drill by now. I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted thing I mention in this fic. If I did own Digimon then I would have never made Xros Wars. Some of the Digimon in it are ridiculous.

* * *

Kari's bedroom was almost completely dark. Her blinds blocked out the streetlights of Tokyo and the glow of the moon. The only light in the room was coming from the red digits of the teen girl's alarm clock, which read 03:12.

Gatomon sat on Kari's pine bedside table with an expression of concern etched across her face. The feline Digimon's ocean blue eyes were fixed on her human partner as the teen girl tossed and turned in her sleep. Kari's pink bedcovers had long since been kicked off her bed by her erratic movements. Alternating looks of pain and panic kept forming on her sleeping face and the brunette was covered in a cold sweat that had started to soak her pink pillow as well as her pink night shirt. Gatomon heard her mumble TK's name several times as the expression of pain on her face deepened.

Kari suddenly gasped for air as her mahogany brown eyes shot wide open. She lurched forwards and sat up in her bed, panting heavily. She used her night shirt to wipe the sweat off her forehead as she brought her knees up to her chest. The teen girl placed her folded arms on her knees before she rested her forehead against them.

The teen girl's breathing started to return to normal after a minute or so as she recovered from her nightmare. She sighed and lifted her head off her arms to glance at the alarm clock. Kari saw her pink flip phone next to the clock and reached out for it but she stopped when she took a second glance at the time. She refolded her arms and sighed again.

"Did you have another nightmare about something happening to TK?" Gatomon asked, breaking the silence. Her concern for her human partner was still etched across her face and clear in her voice.

Kari nodded her head and glanced over to her partner. "Yeah. I know it's stupid but every time I have one of these nightmares I find myself needing to call him just to make sure he's ok."

"It isn't stupid, Kari," the feline Digimon replied in a caring and understanding tone. "It's normal to feel like that when you have a nightmare about someone you care about and love."

"I guess so," the brunette sighed again before bringing her hands up to her face. She used the index and middle fingers of both her hands to rub the tiredness out of her sleepy mahogany eyes.

"Is there something else bothering you?" Gatomon asked, sensing her partner had more on her mind than just being worried about her nightmare.

"Yeah, there is," Kari simply stated in a sombre tone. "I don't know how much more of this I can take and I'm not talking about the nightmares. I'm talking about watching TK go off and fight without me by his side and not knowing if he's alright. Every time he goes into the Digital World to fight Neodevimon, I always wonder if it is the last time I'll ever see him and it's starting to kill me."

It was Gatomon's turn to sigh as she understood the teen girl's feelings all too well. "I know what you mean. I feel the same way about Patamon every time they go."

"There's more than that," Kari continued. "I hate seeing him stressed and hurt in the way he's being hurt by Neodevimon. I hated watching what happened between TK and Davis. I hated watching TK breaking down and crying like he did. And most of all I hate Neodevimon. I hate the way Neodevimon is using me, and the rest of us, to hurt TK."

"I think we should talk to them about it later, either before or after the meeting," Gatomon suggested, thinking about what her human partner was saying.

"If TK is willing to face his worst nightmare and let one of us fight alongside him against Neodevimon then I must face my worst nightmare of loosing him in the same way we lost Wizardmon," Kari clenched her fists in a show of determination. "I want to be there alongside him and I want to help him, if that is ok with you?"

Gatomon smiled at Kari's statement. "I would be happy to fight alongside Patamon if they let us. Besides, it makes more sense for us to join them because I can digivolve inside the zone of darkness where as the others can't."

Kari smiled as well after her Digimon partner agreed with her. "And you and Magnaangemon make a good team. Also, I can use the fact that Neodevimon wants me alive so he can give me to Dragomon, the ruler of the Dark World. That means he'll be less likely to attack me compared to the others."

"So we're agreed, it should be us to fight alongside our boyfriends," Gatomon announced as she jumped off the bedside table and onto the bed.

"One hundred percent agreed," Kari stated, sounding much more hopeful than she did after she had woken up from her nightmare. "It might take a bit of persuading but I'm sure we can get them to see our view."

"Yep," Gatomon nodded and made her way along the bed before she curled up next to Kari's pillow. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get some of my beauty sleep. I think I'm going to need it just in case TK and Patamon decide to fight Neodevimon later and we end up going with them. I'll need all of my energy."

"Good idea," Kari nodded and was about to join her partner when she felt her sticky and damp top. She glanced down at the oversized pink t-shirt which was stuck to her body as a result of the cold sweat caused by her nightmare. "I think I'm going to get changed first, I'm not going to be able to sleep in this while it's sticking to me."

* * *

The Tuesday midday sunlight shone brightly through Izzy's bedroom window. The window itself was wide open and working in tandem with the air-con to cool the room. Outside it was another hot summer's day in which most kids were playing and enjoying their summer break but, as had been the trend of this school break so far, the Digidestined were inside, worrying about what was going to happen next in the battle with Neodevimon.

Tai, Matt, Sora and Mimi had taken their usual places on Izzy's bed with their Digimon sitting by their feet. Joe sat on the same pine chair as he had sat on the last time he was with the whole group in Izzy's room. Gomamon was sat by his feet too and it was obvious that he was impatiently waiting for this meeting to begin. On the opposite side of the room sat Davis, Ken, Yolei, Kari, TK and Cody. Their Digimon were all sat in front of them too.

Tentomon was sat in his usual spot on Izzy's windowsill, enjoying the breeze and fresh air entering the bedroom. Izzy was sat in his computer chair, typing away on his laptop's keyboard because something important had just come up. He quickly finished sending his email reply back to whoever it was and then he spun his chair around to address his fellow Digidestined and the Digimon.

"Sorry about that everyone," Izzy apologised to the others for making them wait for the start of the meeting. "But that email was from Gennai."

"Gennai?" Tai asked, hoping the wise guru from their original adventure had come up with a way to beat Neodevimon. "What did he have to say?"

Izzy sighed and thought about how to word the bad news. "He said he has not yet been able to find a way to stop Neodevimon's darkness from spreading. He also thinks the darkness might be fuelled from another world, probably the Dark World."

"That would explain why only Patamon and Gatomon can digivolve inside the zone of darkness," Ken shared his conclusion with the group.

"Why would Neodevimon want to work with creatures from the Dark World?" Sora asked nobody in particular.

TK and Kari glanced at each other with nervous expressions on both of their faces. They both knew the real reason for Neodevimon being associated with the Dark World and they hated it. The couple knew Neodevimon was using it as a way to not only to fuel his power but as a potential way to make TK suffer by making him watch Dragomon take Kari from him.

"He might not be working with them directly," Ken suggested, inadvertently saving TK and Kari from having to explain the whole truth. "He could just be using the dark power from there as a way to stop our Digimon from digivolving and, therefore, making us easier to attack."

"That would make sense," Tai thought aloud. "Could this darkness be weakening the barrier between the Digital World and the Dark World?"

A look of worry formed on everyone's faces as they realised what could happen if the creatures that inhabited the Dark Ocean managed to break into the Digital World. They all knew it would be an all out war at which they would be at the centre. All of them also knew that they would have to protect Kari at all times because the ruler of that evil world wanted her as his bride.

"It's a real possibility," Izzy finally answered in a gloomy tone. "That would put the Digital World in grave danger."

"I won't let it happen," TK stated firmly and confidently. He clenched his fists as everyone's eyesight fixed on him. "This needs to end and we're going to end it soon."

"I couldn't agree more," Tai clenched his right fist too. "What's your plan?"

TK sighed as an expression of anxiety formed across his face. He gazed down at Patamon, not wanting to make eye contact with the rest of the group as he thought over what he was going to say. He felt weak and slightly helpless for having to ask this but he knew it was the only way he was going to beat his nemesis. "Patamon and I need some help. I can't do this alone anymore. If anyone would like to volunteer to help us, could you please step forward?"

All the Digidestined and Digimon instantly rose to their feet without a second thought. All of the team were willing to help their friends defeat Neodevimon. TK and Patamon glanced around the room. Humble and grateful smiles spread across their faces from knowing they had friends that would help them in an instant. They both knew they would also have done the same thing for any of them.

"Thanks guys," TK spoke appreciatively as he stood up too and looked around the room once more, trying to decide what to do next.

"I guess that means you can pick any one of us," Tai said with pride in his voice. As the leader, he was proud of the team's companionship, unity and willingness to help one another. "I'm sure I speak for everyone here when I say that none of us will be offended if you don't pick us and the pair who is chosen will be extremely honoured."

The rest of the group nodded in agreement with Tai's statement. TK scratched the back of his head as he thought about what he was going to do. He needed to pick someone but, despite what Tai had just said, he was still worried about hurting his friends' feelings.

"May I say something?" Davis asked in an unusually polite manner for him. TK glanced over to his friend and nodded. Davis nodded back and continued. "Thanks. I'm going to explain why I'm going to do what I'm about to do. Veemon and I are not the ones you should pick because we can only reach the champion level without Wormmon. That means we are a much easier target for Neodevimon than some of the other people in this room. Also, if Ken and Wormmon were to join us, then there would be another target for Neodevimon and that would be putting another person needlessly in danger. So, what I'm saying is that Veemon and I would like to fight alongside you but we don't think we are the right choice."

Davis retook his seat and was joined by Veemon back down on the floor. Ken glanced down at his DNA digivolution partner and nodded. The violet haired boy sat down next to his best friend and removed himself from the running.

"I'm in the same position as Davis," Ken said as he looked back over to TK. "Wormmon and I would like to fight but we aren't powerful enough on our own and we don't want to endanger our DNA digivolution partners."

"You know that must have been one of the smart things Davis has ever said," Yolei spoke almost proudly of the goggle-headed boy. The purple haired girl then retook her seat on the floor. "Unfortunately, Hawkmon and I can't be of much use to you either for the same reasons."

Cody was next to sit back down, much to the surprise of the others. "I know we are DNA digivolution partners but I'm not sure Shakkoumon would be the right choice of Digimon to fight Neodevimon. That means Ankylomon would have to fight and I don't think either of us would be willing to risk a champion level Digimon going up against Neodevimon."

"Thanks Cody," TK nodded his gratitude and understanding to his team mate.

"No disrespect, Tentomon, but as you can't digivolve to mega, I think it would only be logical for us to stay behind and help in other ways," Izzy said as he looked over to his partner before sitting back down on his black computer chair.

"I think you should choose someone other than me for the same reason Izzy has just stated," Joe announced as he tried to make TK's decision easier by retaking his seat. "Beside, you know how much I panic in the larger battles."

"Izzy's right," Mimi said as she sat back down on the bed. "A mega Digimon would be more help to you and Patamon."

"I agree," Sora simply stated as she retook her seat next to Mimi. "I'm sure you'll make the right choice."

A silence fell over the room as the only Digidestined left standing were Kari, Matt and Tai. TK glanced between all three of them, noticing the determined look in their eyes. He was truly honoured by his friend's willingness to help him but he knew he was now going to have to pick someone from the three of them. His sapphire eyes locked onto Kari's mahogany pair and he noticed something in her expression that told him she was going to be his choice whether he liked or not.

"So we are left with Tai, Matt and Kari," Izzy announced as he took the role of a mediator to try and help TK decide. "Each of them has their own advantages and disadvantages."

"I think Kari should be the one to go," Davis stated in a matter of fact tone, getting everyone's attention. Both TK and Kari gave their friend worried glances, hoping he wasn't going to tell the others about their secret relationship.

"I say that for two reasons," Davis continued, holding two fingers up on his right hand. "The first is that Magnaangemon and Angewomon make a great team and they nearly beat Neodevimon when TK and Kari came to rescue me the other day. The second reason is that Gatomon can digivolve inside the zone of darkness. That gives them an advantage that Agumon or Gabumon unfortunately don't have."

"We might only be able to reach the ultimate level but Angewomon's attacks are most affective against evil Digimon," Kari added as she glanced back to TK. "That means we are as effective as a mega Digimon."

"But Matt and Tai both actually have mega Digimon," Yolei added her opinion to the discussion. The purple haired girl failed to notice Kari's disgruntled stare in her direction. "And Matt is TK's brother and, therefore, the best choice because he understands the personal side of this battle."

"But then TK might not want Matt on the battlefield because he is his brother," Mimi contradicted the younger girl. "That would make Tai the better choice."

"Can I think about my decision and let you guys know tomorrow?" TK asked while glancing from one volunteer to the other.

"Sure TK, that's fine with me," Kari answered straightaway, placing her right hand on his left shoulder in a gesture of support. "Take as long as you need to make the decision. I'll be able to help you at anytime."

"That's also fine with me," Matt nodded, not wanting to push his brother into a decision he might regret. "And I completely understand if you choose Tai or Kari over me."

"It is fine with me as well," Tai spoke in an understanding tenor. "I don't have a problem with you picking Kari or Matt over me."

"Thanks again everyone," TK smiled his gratitude to his friends once more as he glanced around the room at them all. "It really means a lot to me."

* * *

The key turned in the main door of the Takaishi apartment, unlocking the entrance to the home. The door was pushed open, allowing Patamon and Gatomon to dart down the hallway and into the main living area. TK and Kari followed their Digimon partners through the door, closing it behind them. The teenagers bent down and slipped off their shoes before placing them on the wooden rack. That was when they made eye contact.

The couple let their feelings for each other take control of their actions. They knew that the only other occupants of the apartment were their Digimon partners, which meant they could do what ever they wanted. Kari took the lead, placing her right hand on TK's chest while sliding her left hand under his right arm and up to the back of his head. The teen girl started running her fingers through her boyfriend's golden blonde hair as she felt his right hand gently caress her cheek, cupping it and tilting her head into position for a kiss. TK then slipped his left arm around her back, pulling her as close to his body as she could possible get.

The teenagers found themselves staring lovingly into one another's eyes, which were conveying their feelings without them even saying a word. TK noticed there was something else showing in his girlfriend's glittering mahogany brown orbs. He realised there was something she wanted to ask or say to him but he decided to wait until they had kissed. After all, being in a secret relationship meant they couldn't kiss around their friends and families and this was the first time they had been alone all day.

The couple closed their eyes and opened their mouths as they removed the short distance between their waiting lips. The teens' soft lips met, giving them the usual reward of adrenaline that made their pulses race and their minds go wild with joy. TK and Kari slowly pulled their lips away from each other before opening them slightly wider and gently pushing forwards for more. The couple began breathing through their noses, prolonging their passion filled kiss.

Kari kept running her fingers through her boyfriend's hair, using her hand to gently push his lips against hers. The teenage couple deepened their kiss, adding more passion with each movement. They savoured the moment, knowing full well that being Digidestined and being in a secret relationship meant they might not be able to do the same thing again tomorrow. Their breathing deepened as their heart rate increased further, sending even more adrenaline around their bodies.

The kiss lasted for several minutes before the two teens finally pulled apart. They were panting heavily as they reopened their eyes. The couple stood in their embrace, staring loving into one another's orbs as they tried to regain their breaths. It was then TK noticed that look in Kari's eyes again. It was the look that said she wanted to tell him something but didn't know where or how to start.

The blonde boy gently slid his hand up his girlfriend's warm cheek and then into her hair. He bushed aside a stray strand of Kari's silky chocolate brown hair and gave her a caring smile to let her know she could tell him anything. "What's bothering you, Kari?"

The brunette sighed and broke the eye contact between them. She gazed down at TK's chest before glancing back up with a serious expression across her face. "I need to talk to you about your next battle with Neodevimon. Can we sit down?"

"Sure," TK gave his love a warm smile to show he was open to and willing to talk about the subject. He slid his right hand from her face, down her left arm and clasped her soft hand in his. The couple entwined their fingers before TK led her over to the sofa, where Patamon and Gatomon were kissing.

TK sat down on the black and grey sofa and gestured for Kari to take a seat with him. The brunette decided to sit down on the blonde boy's lap, wrapping her right arm around his neck as she did so. TK instinctively slid his left arm around her back again as she rested her head against his shoulder. The teen boy gazed down at her face, watching her think over what she was about to say.

"I want to be the one who goes to fight Neodevimon with you," Kari spoke in a tentative tone as she tightened her grip of her boyfriend's hand.

"Kari and I talked it over last night and we decided that we feel we should be helping you guys," Gatomon added as she broke her kiss with Patamon upon hearing her human partner's words.

"If you're willing to face your worst nightmares by letting someone fight Neodevimon alongside both of you then I'm willing to face my worst nightmare too. I'm willing to face the danger of loosing you in the same way Wizardmon died," Kari lifted her head off TK's shoulder and gazed into his eyes as she spoke. "And I'm not sure I can take much more of this. I hate watching you go off and fight Neodevimon because, every time you leave, there's a part of my mind that keeps telling me it could be the last time I ever see you."

"Just think how both of you would feel if the roles were reversed," Gatomon took over from the brunette. The feline Digimon was staring into Patamon's eyes as she spoke. "You wouldn't like it at all. In fact I doubt you would even let us do it. Both of you would insist on coming with us."

"Besides, it makes more sense for us to go with you," Kari continued, trying to persuade her boyfriend that she and Gatomon were the best partnership to take with him. "Angewomon's attacks are most affective against evil Digimon, so she would basically be like having a mega Digimon with you. Gatomon can also digivolve anywhere inside the zone of darkness, which would give us a greater tactical advantage. And, I guess most importantly, Neodevimon wants me alive so he can give me to Dragomon. That means he won't try and murder me like he would try to do to any of the others. It also means that if he does capture me then you will have a chance to rescue me. You won't have that chance with anyone else."

Both TK and Patamon appeared extremely moved by their girlfriends' show of support and willingness to help them in their battle with Neodevimon. TK found himself staring into Kari's eyes again and he noted her determination to be the one to help him through all of this, like she had been doing all along. He could tell she wanted this battle with his nemesis to be over as much as he did. The blonde boy slid his right hand out of Kari's left hand and placed it on the back of her head. He found himself gently stroking her silky hair.

Kari continued, wanting to get all of her point across. "There's also another reason, TK. I don't know what I would do without you. You know … if you … died. I don't think I … I could carry on living."

TK noticed tears starting to well up in the brunette's eyes as she finished that last sentence. He could feel tears of his own beginning to form as he understood what she had meant by it. "I know what you mean. I couldn't live without you in my life either. It would be so empty, dark and hopeless. I need you, Kari. I love you."

"I love you too," Kari replied as a smiled formed across her face, removing the serious expression that was there moments ago. "Promise me something, TK. When we fight Neodevimon we either survive together or we die together."

"No," TK stated firmly, keeping his eyes fixed on his girlfriend. "I can promise you one better than that. I promise that we will beat Neodevimon together and we will both come out of it alive. Davis was right; Magnaangemon and Angewomon have the advantage over Neodevimon. Besides, there is no better team than us and, when you volunteered to help me, I knew straightaway that there was no one else I would rather have by my side."

"Thanks TK," Kari said before the couple closed their eyes and pulled each other in for another kiss.

* * *

Well, what did you think to this chapter? Please let me know by clicking the review button below =D


	21. Now or Never Part 1

**Chapter 21: Now or Never Part 1**

Heya everyone, I hope you are all enjoying the holidays. Thanks again for all the reviews of the last chapter. You guys all know how much I appreciate them.

I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted material I mention in this story. If I did then both Skullgreymon and Machinedramon would have had more airtime. They are awesome monsters with no mercy and will do what ever they need to do ruthlessly. Hmm … that gives me an idea …

Here we go … including this one, there are only four chapters left. I know I said somewhere earlier in the fic that there was going to be twenty two or twenty three chapters but now there are going to be twenty four because a while back I decided to split this chapter into two parts (and I'm now glad that I did). It's time for the final battle …

* * *

The Wednesday morning sunlight shone through the windows of the Takaishi apartment, landing rather symbolically upon TK, Kari, Patamon and Gatomon. The two humans and the two Digimon were sat on the black and grey sofas, planning what they were about to do next. Kari was sat on TK's lap with her right arm around his neck and his left arm around her back. Gatomon and Patamon were sitting side by side with their arms around one another.

The two teenagers had deliberately picked clothes that they knew they could run in just in case something bad was to happen. TK was wearing a short sleeved green shirt and loose fitting dark blue jeans, which allowed his legs to move freely. Kari was in a short sleeved white shirt that hugged her flat stomach and ample sized budding breasts. Her stone washed blue jeans weren't the tightest fitting that she had but they showed off the curves of her hips and her long legs.

"I think the first thing we should decide is where are we going to go to on File Island?" TK asked the others as they started to formulate their battle plan. "Are we going to arrive on top of Infinity Mountain or further away and fly up there?"

"I think arriving in the forest around the base of the mountain and flying up sounds like the better idea," Gatomon replied after giving it a moments thought. "That way Neodevimon is less likely to attack us before we digivolve."

"I agree," Patamon nodded. "Then I can cover you while you carry TK and Kari up to the Plateau of Infinity Mountain. Neodevimon will probably be waiting for us there because he will sense our arrival and know exactly where we are. Once we are up there, you can let go of TK and Kari and join the fight."

"That sounds like a good plan," Kari added her thoughts to the conversation. "Then TK can keep me safe just in case Neodevimon tries to take me to the Dark World."

"I don't think we should use the Gate of Destiny unless we get a perfect opportunity to use it. I can imagine Neodevimon might try to put Angewomon inside the gateway," TK spoke a tenor that matched the serious expression on his face.

"Yeah, I wouldn't put it past Neodevimon to try something like that," Patamon nodded as he squeezed Gatomon a little more tightly. "I'll avoid opening it until I know it is safe."

"So this is the plan," TK started to recap their whole conversation to make sure everyone was in agreement. "We find a digital gate that opens near the base of Infinity Mountain and go through it. Once there Patamon and Gatomon will digivolve to the ultimate level. Angewomon will carry me and Kari up to the Plateau of Infinity Mountain while Magnaangemon covers us. Once we are up there, Angewomon will set us down and join the fight while I keep Kari safe. Remember to strike and move fast. We won't use the Gate of Destiny unless a perfect opportunity arises so make every move count and watch each other's backs, just like we always do. And one last thing, if we find the source of the darkness is something other than Neodevimon then we must destroy that too."

"Yeah," Kari nodded her agreement with her boyfriend, as did Patamon and Gatomon. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yep," the Digimon replied in unison. Patamon took to the air as Gatomon jumped off the sofa and wait for the humans to get up.

Kari slid off TK's legs and placed her feet on the floor before she push herself up into a standing position. The teen girl started walking over to the main hallway of the apartment. "I'll get our shoes. We don't want to forget them and end up in the Digital World barefooted. It isn't like the old days when we were given a new set of clothes every time we went through the porthole."

"Ok," TK agreed as he got to his feet too. He turned and headed for his bedroom. "I'll go and find a digital gate near the base of Infinity Mountain."

TK and the Digimon entered his bedroom where they had already set up his computer with the digital gate software ready and open. He moved his computer chair to one side, because he didn't want to land on it when they came back, and started to search for a suitable entry point to the Digital World.

Kari walked into the room with both hers and TK's footwear in her hands. She placed his green and white sneakers by his feet before slipping on her matching pink and white pair. TK had stopped searching and selected a gate for them to go through before he slipped his feet into his footwear.

"I'll send a message to everyone to let them know what's happening just in case something does go wrong," Kari announced as she reached into the pocket of her blue jeans and pulled out her D-Terminal. The brunette started typing away on the gadget, composing the email before clicking send.

She slipped her D-Terminal back into her pocket before unclipping her pink and white digivice from her light pink belt. Kari glanced at the computer screen and noticed the darkness on the other side of the gate. It was nothing like the sunlight streaming through TK's bedroom window.

"Davis is going to be really angry with us for going into the Digital World to fight without getting the group together at Izzy's before we leave," TK stated as he thought over how the others would react to what he and Kari were doing. "In fact I think everyone will be angry with us. Tai will probably kill me and I know I'm going to get a lecture from Matt."

"I know it is hypocritical of us but it's better than them catching us holding hands like Davis did or, even worse, kissing. Also it won't give Tai a chance to protest against me going to fight. I just hope he doesn't follow us," Kari said in a concerned voice before a silence fell over the room. The group began taking deep breaths to focus themselves for the battle that lay ahead.

"Are you all ready?" TK asked, breaking the silence as he unclipped his green and white digivice from his black belt. He glanced at the others, all of them giving him a nod to signal they were ready to go and end their war with Neodevimon.

Kari stepped forwards and took TK's left hand in her right. They entwined their fingers and tightly squeezed each other's hands as they lent towards one another. The couple closed their eyes and opened their mouths slightly. Their lips met for a brief good luck kiss before they pulled back from each other and focused on the computer monitor.

Gatomon and Patamon engaged in a brief kiss of their own as both the humans lifted their digivices up to the computer monitor. TK and Kari gave each other's hand another tight squeeze to let the other know they were ready and that everything would be alright.

TK took a deep breath, getting ready to give the command to his digivice that would take the group into the Digital World for what they hoped was the final battle with Neodevimon. "Digiport open!"

* * *

The dark cloud hung over almost all of File Island now, making what should have been a bright sunny day feel like an overcast dusk. The once vibrant forests of the island were now silent as most Digimon were in hiding because they were scared of Neodevimon and the darkness. The once paradise-like island now felt abandoned and lifeless.

A grey TV with two antennas poking out of the top sat in a rocky clearing within the Forest of File Island. The tall trees and thick undergrowth of the forest surrounded the clearing, only separating for the three pathways into the area. Two of these paths led to other areas of the island and the third path was the only way access to the Plateau of Infinity Mountain by foot.

The giant mountain loomed over the clearing and forest. The vegetation didn't reach far up the mountain side and was replaced by shear cliffs with one winding path snaking its way up the rocky ridges. The dark cloud that now covered almost all of File Island was at its thickest over the peak of the lifeless mountain.

The TV's screen suddenly lit up and a beam of white light emitted out from it into the clearing. Four figures took shape in the light as they entered the Digital World. The light died down and revealed TK, Kari, Patamon and Gatomon. TK and Kari gripped each other's hands tightly as they glanced at their Digimon partners.

"Digivolve!" The couple commanded in unison as they pointed their D3 digivices in the direction of their Digimon. A divine bright white light sprung from the screens of the devices and surrounded Patamon and Gatomon, allowing their digivolutions to begin.

"Patamon digivolve to Angemon! Angemon digivolve to Magnaangemon!" Patamon's body rapidly grew into a masculine human form. Eight white wings spread out from his back before a purple beam shield formed on his left shoulder. A purple helmet covered his eyes as his white robes formed around his body. The formation of Excalibur on his right wrist completed his digivolution to the ultimate level. Magnaangemon exited the digivolution light in a fighting stance with Excalibur, his purple beam sword, ready to protect the group against any potential attack.

"Gatomon digivolve to Angewomon!" The cat Digimon's body also grew rapidly and took on the shape of a female angel. Her grey helmet covered her eyes and her long blonde hair cascaded down her back. Eight white wings protruded from her back before her tight white costume formed around her body. The costume left very little to the imagination as her white gloves and boots completed her digivolution.

The group could finally take in their surroundings now that the Digimon had digivolved. The first thing they noticed was the strength of the darkness here compared to the areas of File Island they had entered with Tai and Matt or the area they went to rescue Davis from. The most important thing about the darkness was there was no one specific spot that their sixth senses could pick up, which meant Neodevimon was not near them and they were safe for the moment.

TK and Kari, who were still holding each other's hands tightly, glanced up at the sky and noticed the cloud was even larger than last time they were there. They guessed it made sense with the increased darkness their extra senses were registering. The couple turned and gazed up to the Peak of Infinity Mountain. They noted the only path they could use to get up there by foot looked extremely dangerous and both of them were glad they had decided to fly up instead.

TK took in a deep breath and glanced at Kari. "It's now or never. Let's get this over with."

"Yeah," Kari nodded her agreement as a serious expression formed on her face. "The strength of the darkness has definitely increased and I think Izzy's estimation of when it would cover all of File Island was somewhat optimistic."

"So the plan is that I will carry both of you up to the Plateau while Magnaangemon covers us, right?" Angewomon asked to make sure there were no changes to their battle strategy now they were here.

"Yeah, that's right," TK answered as he glanced up at the female angel. "And while we are flying up there, try and find the source of this darkness, like a gateway to the Dark World or something like that."

Angewomon nodded and landed behind both the humans. She scooped Kari up with her left arm and TK with her right arm before taking to the air. Both the teens kept a hold of one another's hands as Angewomon took up a position in the sky next to Magnaangemon.

"Let's go," Magnaangemon said after making one more inspection of the area to make sure it was safe for them to begin their journey.

TK glanced down and watched the tall trees becoming smaller and smaller as the angel Digimon flew higher up into the sky. He watched as the trees began to pass under them as the group made their way towards the Plateau of Infinity Mountain. The blonde boy lifted his head up so he could see where they were going. He could see the large shear cliff faces of the mountain making it extremely difficult and dangerous for anyone who could not fly to attempt to get to the peak. He understood why Neodevimon had picked the Plateau as his base because it was so easy to defend.

The teen boy kept using his sixth sense to try and locate Neodevimon but so far he could not find his nemesis. There was no single point of evil that he could sense, just the ever increasing power of the darkness coming from the Plateau of Infinity Mountain. TK noticed the dark cloud was thickest over the peak but it wasn't connected to the mountain in anyway. The physical incarnation of Neodevimon covering File Island in darkness just hung there in the sky without any visible tower of dark energy feeding it.

An anxious silence had fallen over the group as they were all on full alert. Their eyes were constantly darting all over the place, hoping to pick up any potential attack before it happened. The combination of their sight, hearing and their additional sense, which allowed them to identify both light and dark energy, told them they were still in the clear as they reached a height that allowed them to see onto the Plateau of Infinity Mountain.

TK's extra sense and his eyes locked onto the ancient Greek style marble temples as they came into view. There were individual sources of darkness coming from inside each of them and the type of darkness they were emitting was scarily familiar. It was the darkness TK sensed when he was in the Dark Whirlpool and that meant it was the same darkness found in the Dark World.

"Kari, are you ok?" TK asked in a concerned tone as he glanced to his left at his girlfriend. He squeezed her hand tightly, knowing she could sense the darkness too.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Kari replied with worry in her voice as she looked over to him. "That darkness feels the same as the one from the Dark World. Why would Neodevimon be using dark energy from there to cover the Digital World?"

"It is the same darkness," TK confirmed for her as he thought about an answer to the brunette girl's question.

"Perhaps he is trying to open a gateway here so he can give Kari to the ruler of the Dark Ocean," Angewomon was first to offer a suggestion.

"Or maybe he is trying to open a porthole so the creatures of that world can come through into the Digital World," Kari added as her worry increased further.

"I don't know what he's doing and I don't want to know," TK spoke in a serious manner that showed his focus. "He could be doing either or both of those ideas and we can't let that happen. However, one thing I do know is that this darkness is stopping the other Digimon from digivolving and therefore making them venerable if they had to enter the Digital World. That means you should take out the temples when ever you get the chance to do so."

"Right," both angel Digimon replied in unison as they nodded their understanding of the plan.

With that the group fell silent again and refocused on the task ahead. They watched the Plateau getting closer and closer without any sign of any Digimon trying to attack them. It was something of a major concern to them all because they expected had Neodevimon to attack them as soon as they arrived on the island.

The Digidestined and Digimon were fast approaching the peak and Magnaangemon and Angewomon started their descents to land on the rocky surface of the Plateau. Angewomon's feet touched down on the cold ground and she bent down to release the humans from her clutches as Magnaangemon hovered over them in a protective position.

TK and Kari jumped out of the feminine angel's arms and landed on the hard rocky surface. TK quickly retook Kari's hand, this time entwining the fingers of his right hand with her left hand as he pulled his girlfriend close to keep her safe. Both teenagers glanced around, expecting an attack at any second because their senses reminded them that there were individual sources of dark energy coming from each of the three temples. Any of those sources of concentrated darkness could be Neodevimon.

Angewomon flew back up into the air and took up a defensive position next to Magnaangemon. The group remained silent as they waited for Neodevimon to appear. Their eyes darted around, scanning their surroundings as the cold wind slammed into their bodies, making the humans shiver.

A black mist suddenly rose out of the ground. Dark tendrils flowed across the rocky surface as a pure black hole started to form in between the group and the largest temple. Neodevimon's torn red spike-tipped wings were the first thing to appear out of the gateway. His masked face and devil horns were next, followed by his grey skinned torso. Finally his legs and feet, which were covered by black leather trousers and spike tipped boots, left the porthole as the demon hovered in the air in front the Digidestined and Digimon of Hope and Light.

Neodevimon burst out into a manic and sadistic laugh as the black gateway closed beneath him. "Takeru, I told you that you would have to bring your precious Hikari with you to defeat me. I guess you finally realised it. Now you will have to watch as I kill Angewomon and give your special Chosen Child of Light to Dragomon so he can have his way with her and taint her."

"I will never let you, Dragomon or any other sick freak put their hands on Kari," TK spat back at his nemesis in rage. The blonde boy watched as Magnaangemon and Angewomon moved between the humans and Neodevimon so the devil could not attack them. "I will keep her safe and together we will beat you."

"And I will fight you with every ounce of strength I have," Kari growled in anger as she knew Neodevimon was using her to hurt TK. "You will never get your hands on me!"

"Oh, I will get my hands on you," Neodevimon laughed again as he addressed Kari. "I am going to give you to Dragomon so he can taint your light with his darkness and use your powers to make him even stronger. Takeru will have to watch all of this unfold before I force him to watch as I exterminate the rest of your friends when they come to save you both."

"As I've said before, that will never happen," TK stated confidently as he pulled Kari as close to him as he possibly could. He then clenched his left fist before he continued. "Magnaangemon and Angewomon have had the better of you the last two times we've fought. They can and will beat you. It's only a matter of time before the four of us come up with a way to defeat you forever."

Neodevimon snorted arrogantly. "All it will take is for you to make one mistake and then you both will be in my grasp. I would actually rather capture both of you because it makes it a lot easier for me to force you to watch Dragomon taint Hikari."

Both TK and Kari growled. The two teens were frustrated that all this talk wasn't getting them anywhere and it was only stalling them. The couple knew Neodevimon was trying to put doubts into their minds that could potentially lead to them making a mistake. The teens glanced at each other and nodded.

"Kill him," TK and Kari shouted their command to their Digimon in unison and in an uncharacteristically cold tone. They had both had enough of the threats towards them and didn't want to listen to anymore of the devil's mind games.

"Aurora beam!" Magnaangemon pointed his purple beam sword in the direction of Neodevimon. Rainbow coloured energy began to form around it as the attack powered up. The male angel released the energy in the form of a beam that cascaded towards his nemesis.

"Celestial arrow!" Angewomon called out the name of her attack as she placed her left hand out in front of her. A white bow formed from her left glove as an arrow of pure white light took shape in her right hand. The female angel placed the arrow on the bow and pulled it back before realising it in the direction of her opponent.

Neodevimon flew up into the sky, looping over the two attacks coming in his direction. Both the angels' attacks smashed into the rocky floor of the Plateau, causing an explosion that threw debris up into the air. Neodevimon didn't pay any attention to it as he flew straight at Angewomon in retaliation.

"Guilty claw!" The devil opened his right claw as he placed it out in front of him. He continued on his course, aiming straight for Angewomon.

Magnaangemon fired another aurora beam into the path of his nemesis as Angewomon released several more arrows at Neodevimon. The devil barrel rolled out of the way of the first two arrows but was forced to veer off to his left as another three arrows and the aurora beam missed his body by a whisker. Neodevimon's flight path arced back around to his original position as he corkscrewed out of the way of another salvo of attacks from the angel Digimon.

TK and Kari continued to grip each other's hands tightly as they watched their Digimon partners head after Neodevimon. The couple's eyes saw the devil Digimon being forced to swerve, dive and loop out of the way of the rain of arrows and almost constantly firing multicoloured energy beam. Both of them noted that their Digimon clearly had the advantage at the moment but they were experienced enough to know that could change in a second. They knew they could not afford to get cocky and let concentration drop for a moment otherwise it could be fatal.

Neodevimon barrel rolled over another beam shot from Magnaangemon and found himself facing both angels with a chance to retaliate. The devil started to form dark energy around his right claw as he powered up his attack. He then thrust his claw forwards in the direction of his opponents.

"Stun claw!" Neodevimon bellowed as he looped out of the path of yet more attacks from Magnaangemon and Angewomon. The dark energy of his attack took the shape of his right claw as it cascaded towards the angel Digimon.

Magnaangemon counted the move by using his aurora beam. The light energy of the beam and the dark energy of the ghost-like claw exploded on contact, obscuring the view of all three combatants. Neodevimon was first to react, releasing another three attacks of the black energy at the angels.

Angewomon and Magnaangemon veered off in opposite directions, allowing the attacks to harmless pass between them. The dark energy flew off into the distance where it finally dissipated as the Angels of Hope and Light resumed their bombardment of the devil Digimon before them.

Angewomon was launching three arrows at a time, making it extremely difficult for Neodevimon to avoid her attacks as well as Magnaangemon's. The devil dived under another aurora beam only to find more arrows coming straight at him. He barrel rolled off to his left, with two of the arrows narrowly missing his torso and head. The third arrow ripped straight through his already torn wings. The demon hissed in pain as he avoided another attack from Magnaangemon.

Angewomon suddenly stopped her rain of arrows and placed both hands out in front of her body. A pink energy started to form around her hands as she powered up her attack. She moved her hands apart, creating a large pink cross that consisted of pure light energy.

"Heaven's charm!" The female angel yelled as she released the attack straight at Neodevimon.

The pink cross cascaded towards the demon as he looped over Magnaangemon's beam yet again. The devil didn't see the light energy coming until it was too late. The attack hit him square on his chest, sending him spiralling down to the hard rocky surface of Infinity Mountain.

Magnaangemon flew straight at his nemesis as he watched the devil bounce off the ground several times. The male angel had Excalibur outstretched in front of him, ready to land the killer blow on the demon. He thrust the tip of the purple energy sword straight at Neodevimon's head.

The demon pushed himself off the floor and furiously flapped his wings to get some lift so he could escape the attack. The sword just missed him as Neodevimon flew up into the air. He was breathing heavily and was worn out as a result of all the energy he had just exerted trying to avoid the angels' attacks. Neodevimon spun in midair as Angewomon fired another three arrows at him. The demon dived out of the way before flying off into the distance, leaving humans and angel Digimon.

"Destroy the temples," TK ordered, realising this was their chance to destroy the source of the darkness that covered File Island. "Start with the largest one because the darkness coming from that one is the strongest."

"Right," both the ultimate angel Digimon replied in unison as they turned their focus to the Ancient Greek style marble temples. Magnaangemon fired his aurora beam constantly at the white building as Angewomon released several of her heaven's charm attacks. Their combined efforts made the structure crumble and collapse into a dust cloud.

"That did it," Kari yelled up to the ultimate Digimon. TK nodded in agreement with her, as both of them could no longer sense the darkness coming from that building. The only sources of darkness left were the two smaller temples and Neodevimon, who was far off in the distance.

"Destroy the other two," TK issued his instructions to the Digimon as he pointed at the next temple.

Magnaangemon and Angewomon prepared their attacks to destroy the larger of the two remaining marble temples. Suddenly they sensed the darkness that represented Neodevimon coming straight at them. The angels glanced up and quickly altered the direction of their attacks to try and stop the devil in his tracks.

Neodevimon corkscrewed over the attacks and placed his right claw out in front of him as he flew straight at the angel Digimon. Magnaangemon and Angewomon veered off to the side, allowing devil to past right between them. The demon swiped his claw at Angewomon, missing her by mere centimetres.

The angels spun around and closed the gap between them once more. They launched another salvo of attacks at Neodevimon, forcing the demon to loop up into the air as the celestial Digimon moved between him and their human partners. Magnaangemon and Angewomon continued their attacks, forcing the devil to constantly dodge the manoeuvres.

* * *

Tai was sprinting at full speed with Agumon just behind him. The Digidestined and Digimon of Courage were running down a sidewalk in Odaiba, trying to get to Izzy's apartment as fast as they could. They darted between random people on the street, not caring that Agumon wasn't in his usual disguise of a blue raincoat. They had left the Kamiya apartment as soon as they received the email from Kari telling all the Digidestined that she had gone to fight Neodevimon with TK. Tai had sent an additional message out telling the group to all meet at Izzy's as quickly as possible in case anything went wrong.

The partners turned a corner, dodging someone random middle aged woman who was walking her dog. They could hear the woman shouting at them as Tai's eyes locked onto four familiar figures further down the street. They were also sprinting, or flying in Biyomon's case, as fast as they could towards Izzy's apartment. The figures were Matt, Sora and their Digimon.

"Matt, Sora, wait up guys," Tai yelled down the street to them. He was relieved when they stopped and turned to face him because it meant he wouldn't have to run even faster to catch them up. The bushy haired brunette sprinted up to them and stopped beside the couple and their Digimon. The three humans and the three Digimon all panted heavily as they tried to get their breath back.

"I can't believe Kari and TK would do this," Tai finally spoke, panting as he did so. "It's so hypocritical of them, especially after what TK apparently said to Davis."

"Yeah," Matt added as he breathed in and out just as heavily as his best friend. "TK didn't even wait to tell us who he had chosen. They both just went! What if something happens to them?"

"They should have known better," Tai nodded in agreement. "They're the most experienced out of us Digidestined after all. They could have waited for us all to meet at Izzy's as we planned yesterday instead of doing this."

"You're both right," Sora agreed but the teen boys knew she wanted to add more from the expression on her face. "But TK and Kari aren't little kids anymore. They can look after themselves and they have Patamon and Gatomon with them. I'm sure they can defeat Neodevimon. We just have to believe in them. Maybe they found something that meant they had to attack now. Maybe the creatures that live in the Dark Ocean were calling for Kari again."

"I hope it's nothing to do with the Dark World," Tai replied as an extremely concerned expression spread across his face.

"Izzy did say the rate at which Neodevimon's darkness was spreading had increased over the last few hours," Matt thought aloud. "But that still doesn't mean they can just do this to the rest of us. They're going to get themselves hurt or even killed. To say I'm worried would be the understatement of the century."

"Maybe they did this because they wanted to keep something hidden from the rest of us," Tai thought aloud as he ran his fingers through his wild hair. "Probably something personal or something they didn't want us to see them do."

"Well I think we all know how personal this is for TK," Matt stated in a matter of fact tone before he scratched the back of his head and thought over Tai's words. "What could they both want to say to one another in private before going into battle?"

Matt's and Tai's eyes shot wide open and a look of sudden realisation formed on their faces. It was so obvious to them now as they thought about how their younger siblings had been acting around each other recently. They both knew that Kari and TK had feelings for one another that went beyond friendship but, as far as the older brothers were aware, they hadn't admitted to them yet. However, the secrecy behind their recent actions, such as them sharing breakfast, spending almost all of their evenings together and their approach to this battle with Neodevimon, all hinted to Tai and Matt that their siblings might have finally declared their true feelings to each other.

"They want to express their love for each other without us around," Matt and Tai spoke in unison as they both smacked their heads with their right hands.

"I think you're reading too much into this," Sora tried to refocus both of the teen boys. "And you shouldn't worry so much about them, they will come back victorious, alive and in one piece."

"I know Kari will come back alive and in one piece. It's TK I'm more worried about," Tai spoke in a concerned tone as he glanced at his friends. The Leader of the Digidestined noticed the puzzled expressions on his friends' faces so he continued. "It is so clear that TK loves Kari and he will do anything to protect her. Look at the things he's done in the past to save her. I know TK will keep Kari safe but at what cost to himself?"

The other teens and the Digimon nodded in agreement now they understood where their leader was coming from. It was Matt who was first to reply. "He would give his life to make sure Kari wasn't hurt."

Tai nodded, knowing the others now understood what he had meant. "Exactly and Kari loves TK back. I doubt that she would be able to handle it if TK died."

* * *

Neodevimon ducked under another white arrow as he thrust his right claw forwards, launching more dark energy which took on the shape of his serrated blade-tipped claw. The attack cascaded towards Magnaangemon, who retaliated with another aurora beam. The light and dark energy collided again, exploding on contact.

The demon Digimon flew straight through the dust from the explosion with his right claw outstretched and aimed at Magnaangemon. The angel Digimon brought Excalibur up to block the attack just in time. Sparks flew everywhere as Neodevimon's metal tipped claws slammed into the angel's purple beam sword. Both the angel and devil found themselves in a test of shear strength, forcing them place their left hands around their right wrists in an attempt to overpower each other.

Angewomon launched another arrow of light straight at the devil Digimon that was battling with her boyfriend. Neodevimon realised the attack was coming and pushed away from Magnaangemon, creating space between the two foes. The white arrow passed between them before Magnaangemon flew forwards and swung Excalibur at his nemesis. He knew it would give Angewomon another chance to hit the virus type Digimon with one of her arrows.

Neodevimon brought his right claw up to block the sword as the two ultimate Digimon re-entered their test of strength. Angewomon took this as her cue to fire another celestial arrow at the devil. She loaded it on the bow formed from her left glove and fired. Neodevimon quickly pushed off Magnaangemon again, allowing the arrow to pass between them.

The devil Digimon growled and suddenly spun around. He flew off to a safe distance, dodging the attacks of both Magnaangemon and Angewomon as he made his way to safety. The two angel Digimon took the chance to return to each other's sides as silence fell over the battlefield and a stand off began. Neodevimon stared at them across the Plateau of Infinity Mountain as he hovered above his two remaining marble temples.

TK, who was still tightly gripping Kari's left hand with his right hand, glared at his nemesis as he and the others waited for the demon to make a move. The blonde boy knew Neodevimon was getting tired and that the devil was definitely on the back foot. Although it was a good thing that they had the upper hand, TK was concerned about how desperate the demon Digimon might become as a result of their superiority. He was worried that Neodevimon might make a desperate attack on him or Kari just to gain some sort of victory before they defeated him.

Neodevimon was the first of the Digimon to move, launching another ghost-like claw at the angel Digimon. They returned fire again as they moved out of the way of the attack. The dark energy harmlessly passed between them as they fired arrows and beams of light at the devil. The demon Digimon saw the attacks coming and barrel rolled over them before flying straight at the angels again. He released several more claws of dark energy before placing his right claw out in front of him.

Magnaangemon and Angewomon veered off to the sides, splitting up again to allow the attacks to pass between them. They then moved further out of the way to allow Neodevimon to fly between them before they returned fired. They aimed their weapons at the virus type Digimon and fired again, forcing him to loop up into the air to avoid the attacks. Neodevimon suddenly dived down and spun around. He powered up his right claw with dark energy and quickly released it in the direction of his target.

"Run!" TK screamed as he realised the attack was coming in his and Kari's direction. His earlier thoughts about Neodevimon getting desperate were right and this was perfect evidence of it. The blonde boy pulled Kari in the same direction as him as they both started sprinting to get away from the attack.

The attack missed the couple by several metres but the dark energy exploded when it made contact with the floor. Shockwaves and debris were thrown up into air, collecting TK and Kari as they tried to escape the blast. The teens were knocked off their feet and thrown several metres through the air by the shockwaves. They both landed hard on the sandstone surface of the mountain, bouncing several times before finally skidding to a stop.

TK and Kari both groaned in pain, noting their exposed elbows and arms had been grazed by the rocks of the Plateau. The two teenagers pulled themselves to their feet and it was then they realised the contact between them had been broken. They quickly glanced up at Neodevimon to make sure it was safe to close the distance between each other.

The two teenage Digidestined were glad that they had checked on their foe as he dived out of the way of Magnaangemon's aurora beam and launched another attack into the space between them. TK and Kari turned and were forced to run in opposite directions to avoid the dark energy coming their way. Both of them realised that Neodevimon was now trying to keep them away from one another so he could get to Kari.

The attack missed both of the teens as it exploded on impact with the ground and sent out another shockwave. The shockwave knocked down both TK and Kari again but they were now far enough away from the blast for it not to harm them. Unfortunately that meant the distance between them had increase even further.

TK pulled himself back to his feet and quickly spun around to see if Kari was hurt. His sapphire eyes fixed onto his girlfriend and he sighed in relief as he watched her stand up and turn around to face him. He noted that she had no new injuries which he could see.

"I'm ok," Kari yelled across the Plateau to TK, almost as if she was reading his thoughts.

"Me too," the blonde boy shouted back just so she wouldn't worry about him. He then glanced up at Neodevimon to make sure it was safe to close the distance between himself and his girlfriend.

TK watched as Neodevimon looped over several of Angewomon's arrows and then started diving towards the ground. His eyes opened wide in horror as he realised the direction the demon was travelling in. Neodevimon was diving straight for Kari with his right claw stretched out in front of him.

An adrenaline rush spread throughout the blonde boy's body as panic entered his mind. He instinctively started sprinting as fast as he could towards Kari to try and save her from his nemesis' incoming attack. TK's eyes locked onto the brunette who had already seen that the demon was coming her way and was now sprinting as fast as she could towards him. TK quickly glanced back up at Neodevimon and he realised the devil had zeroed in on Kari. The only way she was going to escape was if he saved her.

TK returned his gaze back to his girlfriend and forced his legs to move faster. His mind started frantically calculating if he could reach her in time and at least push her to safety. He glanced back to his nemesis then back to his girlfriend again. TK knew he could get there. He knew he had to get there and save her no matter what.

Time felt as if it had started to slow down as the blonde teen and Neodevimon both got closer and closer to Kari. TK noted just how close it was going to be. The demon Digimon's shadow loomed over the two Digidestined as he was now almost on top of them both and the devil's claw was right over Kari.

TK watched Kari close her eyes and he realised that he had no choice. The blonde teen pushed off the ground as hard as he could, jumping into the air in a last ditch attempt to push Kari out of the way of the serrated blade of Neodevimon's middle finger. He closed his eyes and listened to his heart beating before his body made contact with something.

Kari's heart was pounding out of her chest as she sprinted at full speed what she assumed were the last few steps between herself and her boyfriend. Despite her eyes being close, she still knew Neodevimon was right above her and TK was racing towards her because of her sixth sense that detected the powers of light and darkness. She held her breath knowing this was going to be close. Too close.

The brunette suddenly felt something crash extremely hard and rather painfully straight into her abdomen. The force of what ever it was knocked her straight off her feet, into the air and to the floor. Kari smacked the back of her skull hard against the rocky surface of the Plateau of Infinity Mountain, sending a wave of pain through her head to match the one she felt in her stomach and pelvis.

The teen girl groaned in pain from the impacts and noticed she could feel what ever had hit her abdomen was still there in contact with her. She winced from the pain as she tried to force it to go away. The impact to her head had made her feel groggy but she quickly pushed herself up and opened her eyes to inspect the damage to her midriff.

Kari's mahogany brown eyes shot wide open in horror and panic as they fixed on her stomach and the object on it. She felt physically sick and started to shake as tears flooded out of her eyes. There was deep crimson blood everywhere. Kari let out the breath she was holding in as a blood curdling scream.

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Wow, that was a long chapter … I think it is the longest I've written for this fic. I'm sorry about the cliff hanger guys but I had to end this chapter somewhere. It was getting too long and this felt like the best place to end it and I'll put the rest into the planned second part. Please let me know what you think by clicking the blue review button below =D

Oh, and one last thing before I go … Happy New Year to you all =D


	22. Now or Never Part 2

**Chapter 22: Now or Never Part 2**

Heya everyone. Thanks for the awesome reviews of the last chapter. I'm glad you all liked it even though it was a very long chapter.

Disclaimer time: I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted things I mention in this fic. If I did then I would know why Taichi and Agumon appear in season seven. Rumour has it that all the past goggle heads are going to appear at some point in season seven.

Right, now it's time to pick up where the last chapter finished …

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Kari's mahogany brown eyes opened wide in horror as she realised Neodevimon was coming straight for her. She had a sudden adrenaline rush and started sprinting towards TK, knowing that he would save her. The brunette quickly glanced back up at the devil and noticed he was still diving straight at her. There was nothing Angewomon or Magnaangemon could do, which meant TK was her only hope of survival.

The teen girl found her adrenaline gave her an extra burst of speed that she never knew she had, forcing her legs to propel her towards her boyfriend and safety just that bit quicker. She knew she had to get to TK. Kari knew what it would do to her boyfriend if Neodevimon captured, hurt or even killed her. She closed her eyes in fear of what was about to happen.

Kari's heart was pounding out of her chest as she sprinted at full speed what she assumed were the last few steps between herself and her boyfriend. Despite her eyes being close, she still knew Neodevimon was right above her and TK was racing towards her because of her sixth sense that detected the powers of light and darkness. She held her breath knowing this was going to be close. Too close.

The brunette suddenly felt something crash extremely hard and rather painfully straight into her abdomen. The force of what ever it was knocked her straight off her feet, into the air and to the floor. Kari smacked the back of her skull hard against the rocky surface of the Plateau of Infinity Mountain, sending a wave of pain through her head to match the one she felt in her stomach and pelvis.

The teen girl groaned in pain from the impacts and noticed she could feel what ever had hit her abdomen was still there in contact with her. She winced from the pain as she tried to force it to go away. The impact to her head had made her feel groggy but she quickly pushed herself up and opened her eyes to inspect the damage to her midriff.

Kari's mahogany brown eyes shot wide open in horror and panic as they fixed on her stomach and the object on it. She felt physically sick and started to shake as tears flooded out of her eyes. There was deep crimson blood everywhere. Kari let out the breath she was holding in as a blood curdling scream.

TK lay motionless on top of the brunette's body. Neodevimon's claw had slashed straight down the left side of his face, from his hair, over his eye, down his cheek and stopped on the ridge of his jaw. The gash continued through the blonde teen's left arm and across his chest. That was where the wound stopped and that was where Neodevimon's right claw was now, stuck in the sandstone ground of Infinity Mountain.

Kari could feel something trickling down the back of her head from where she had hit it on the rocky surface. She assumed it was her own blood and that she had cut her head on the rough ground. The teen girl also noted that she felt dizzy and sick but she wasn't sure if that was from the impact to her head, the impact to her stomach, seeing TK lying there motionless or a combination of all three things.

The brunette then stared up and saw the devil towering over her, laughing evilly and manically at his actions. Neodevimon suddenly gasped in agony as the purple tip of Magnaangemon's beam sword punctured straight through the devil's chest. Kari watched as the angel Digimon lifted his nemesis off the ground, freeing TK and Kari in the process.

Kari quickly took this as her cue to attend to TK. She forced herself to forget about her pain as she rolled her boyfriend over onto his back. The brunette quickly placed the index and middle fingers of her right hand against the blonde's neck to check for a pulse. At the same time she placed her left hand just over the top of his mouth to check his breathing. She sighed in relief as she could feel both TK's pulse and the air being drawn into his lungs.

"Gate of Destiny!" Magnaangemon called out the name of his most powerful attack.

Kari glanced up and saw the male angel drawing the necessary circle of light with Neodevimon still impaled on the sword and writhing in pain. The circle of white light was fully completed and the golden gate of doom formed. The ancient text covered doors rotated before they opened, revealing the gateway of no return. Magnaangemon kicked the squirming Neodevimon off his purple sword and straight into the open porthole. Neodevimon screamed as he fell further and further into the Gate of Destiny before it closed to ensure the devil would never return.

The brunette teen's gaze had already left the Digimon and returned to TK. Her tears were flowing freely down her face as she realised just how badly injured her love was. She quickly inspected the slash down the left side of the blonde boy's head. Kari used her white shirt to wipe the blood off her boyfriend's face so she could get a better look at the damage.

TK's hair was already turning crimson red due to all the blood from the wound. Kari could see the gash started just inside his hairline and travelled all the way down his face. She was thankful that it wasn't a too deeper cut and would only leave him with a noticeable but not grotesque scar. Fortunately it wasn't deep enough to touch his eye or rip through his cheek and into his mouth.

Kari glanced back up at the Digimon, who were now towering over her and TK with extremely concerned expressions etched on their faces. "Both of you destroy the remaining temples while I treat TK and get him back to the gate home."

The brunette was amazed by how calm and under control she sounded as she gave her orders when really she was anything but that. She guessed that she picked it up from TK, Tai or both of them. Magnaangemon and Angewomon gave her a nod before they flew over to the temples and started bombarding them with their attacks to stop more darkness from spreading into the Digital World.

Kari returned her attention to TK's wounds and nearly threw up when her eyes fixed onto the upper part of her boyfriend's left arm. It was hanging limply and twisted at an unnatural angle. What was worse was that it was hanging on by the muscle and skin on one side, meaning it was partially severed. The teen girl could see the blood covered broken bone and the muscles that Neodevimon's claw had cut straight through. There was already a pool of blood forming under TK's arm as the brunette girl moved it into a more natural position.

Then her eyes fixed on the teen boy's chest. There was another deep gash in the left side of it and that was also deep enough for her to be able to see his ribs. Some of them were broken too by the impact of Neodevimon's attack. The teen girl noted that there was no blood leaking from TK's mouth so his ribs probably hadn't punctured his lungs. This made her worry about the actual damage to TK's skull and whether he had fractured it or not. She then noticed the amount of blood on the floor was still growing as a result of the injuries.

Kari quickly snapped back into action, hearing a temple crumble to the ground in the background as she did so. She quickly took hold of TK's torn green shirt, realising it would be the best thing she could use as a bandage. The brunette pulled on the fabric and it ripped a strip off the bottom of the shirt. She quickly slid the makeshift bandage out from under her boyfriend's limp body and tied it tightly around his left arm just above the wound.

The brunette found that she was relieved Joe had given all of the Digidestined basic first aid training, just in case something like this ever happened, as she tightened the fabric as tightly as she could. Kari then pulled off the remainder of TK's green shirt. She was about to apply pressure to the wound on his chest when she stopped. Instead she tied the fabric tightly around his upper body. She made sure it wasn't too tight in case it impaired his breathing or made his rib injuries worse. It was just tight enough to soak up some of the blood and would do until she could get him home.

She then glanced at TK's upper arm again and wondered if there was someway she could ensure that she didn't make the injury worse by moving him. The teen girl glanced around and couldn't find anything obvious so she opted for the next best thing. She lifted the hem of her shirt up and bit a hole into it. Kari then quickly ripped off the bottom of her blood covered white shirt. The remains of her shirt still covered her chest but exposed the swollen red marks on her stomach and the right side of her pelvis where TK had tackled her at full force to save her from Neodevimon.

Kari quickly took the new makeshift bandage and tied it on both the attached and the almost severed parts of his arm. She tied it tight enough so that it would at least help keep the side of his arm that had been cut open from moving and twisting while she got him home.

The brunette then realised she had a problem. She didn't know how she was going to carry him. She wiped her face as she thought about it and realised her tears were still flowing freely down her cheeks and dripping onto TK, not that she cared about her tears at that moment. Then the solution suddenly came to her. Kari remembered how firemen could carry much larger people on their shoulders.

She quickly and carefully rolled TK into a position where she could get under him to lift him up. The teen girl slid herself under her boyfriend's limp body and positioned him so he was over her shoulders. She took a deep breath and prayed she would be strong enough to lift TK's unconscious body. The brunette then unclipped her digivice from her belt with her right hand so she could open the gate as soon as she reached it. She then carefully slid her hand back around TK's shoulders and neck.

Kari took another deep breath and moved her legs so she was kneeling with TK on her shoulders. She then awkwardly shifted her left leg out in front of her and pushed upwards with all the force she could. Kari let out a groan as she managed to get to her feet, somehow lifting her boyfriend's limp body off the ground. The teen girl was amazed that she had managed it and put it down to a combination of the adrenaline rushing through her veins and her need for TK to survive and remain in her life. She ignored a sudden pain in her pelvis that ran down her right leg because she knew she had to get her love to safety. The pain in her pelvis made it felt like her leg could buckle at any moment.

Kari heard the final temple collapsing as she started making her way over to the randomly placed grey TV that sat on the Plateau of Infinity Mountain. Every step she took sent an excruciating amount of pain down her right leg but she forced herself onwards, knowing she had to save her boyfriend. The brunette teen could feel TK's partially severed arm swinging around limply across her chest. Fortunately her makeshift bandages were stopping the injury from getting worse. She could also feel her boyfriend's blood flowing freely over her skin. It had now completely soaked into her clothes as gravity pulled the fluid of life towards the ground. The feeling of TK's blood slowly covering her chest, stomach and back made Kari nauseous. She had to force her stomach to hold its contents at least until she made sure TK was safely home.

The teen girl reached the TV and turned around to find out where the Digimon were. She watched them both return to their rookie forms and make their way over to her as fast as they could. As soon as Patamon and Gatomon were by her side, she pointed her now blood covered pink and white digivice at the TV's screen to activate the digital gate.

The bright white light sprung out from the screen and engulfed Kari, TK and the Digimon. It felt like a sudden gust of warm wind swirling around their bodies as the light of inter-dimensional travel took them out of the Digital World to return them to Earth. Kari felt as if she was free falling through the gate, which was the normal feeling all of them had when they travelled between the two worlds. However, this often led to a rough and unceremonious landing, which was the last thing she or TK needed right now. The brunette girl found herself hoping that who ever controlled the gateways was going to give them one of those gentle and safe landings that the Digidestined rarely had.

With another sudden gust of wind, the gateway opened up on Earth in TK's bedroom. The light emitted out of his computer screen and who ever controlled the gates must have known about TK's condition as they provided the group with a prefect and gentle landing. The greater power knew just how important hope was to the light of the Digital World.

Kari found herself lying on top of TK with her arms still holding onto him tightly. The blonde boy had been given the softest landing any of the Digidestined had ever had. He was carefully placed on his back and in away so his injured body was not further harmed. Kari quickly let him go and pulled herself to her knees.

"Gatomon, open the door to the apartment so the paramedics can get in and bring me a key. Patamon, get me some towels or something so we can start applying pressure to TK's wounds to stop the bleeding," Kari gave her orders to the Digimon straightaway. They nodded their understanding and quickly left the room to do their individual tasks.

Kari quickly pulled TK's digivice off his belt and his D-Terminal out of his pocket, knowing that there could be serious repercussions if someone at the hospital took them off him or if they were handed over to the police. She carefully threw them onto his bed before pulling out her pink flip phone. The brunette dialled for an ambulance straightaway.

Someone answered within seconds and Kari quickly gave them TK's address. She then amazed herself with her on the spot story telling abilities as she told the person on the other end of the line that TK had hurt himself showing off in front of her. The brunette said that he was doing a back flip off his bed and ended up landing head first through a glass table in his bedroom, which they had put there to put their drinks on.

After telling the other person the fake story, Kari told them she had to hang up because she was the only other person in the apartment and she needed to apply pressure to TK's wounds to help stem the bleeding. The woman on the other end of line agreed and with that Kari flipped her phone shut.

Kari was nearly sick again as she noticed the pool of blood already forming under her boyfriend's motionless body. She knew he could end up bleeding to death if the ambulance didn't arrive soon. The teen girl then noticed both Gatomon and Patamon returning to the bedroom. Gatomon handed her the keys, which she pocketed straightaway because she knew she would have to lock up after the paramedics left with TK.

The brunette then shifted herself so she was standing bent over TK's head. She slipped her arms under both of his shoulders so she could drag him out into the living area of the apartment, otherwise the paramedics wouldn't believe her story and then questions about the Digimon would end up being asked.

"Patamon, take the towels into the living area," Kari ordered as she readied herself to pull TK's limp body through his apartment. "Gatomon, hold up TK's left arm and make sure it doesn't drag across the ground."

Both Digimon nodded their understanding of their roles. Patamon took the towels he was clasping into the living area as Gatomon lifted TK's blood covered arm over her head.

"On three," Kari gave her Digimon partner a forewarning before she was going to move TK. "One, two, three."

Kari groaned as she put all of her strength into dragging TK through his apartment and into the living area. Her right leg felt like it was going to give way again but she ignored the pain and continued to concentration on her boyfriend. Gatomon made sure TK's arm wasn't hurt further by keeping pace with her partner and keeping the blonde's arm above her head. Kari stopped as soon as she reached a position that could be seen from the main entrance of the apartment so the paramedics could see her when they arrived.

Kari looked down to Gatomon as she removed her arms from under her boyfriend's shoulders. The teen girl pulled the apartment keys out from her pocket as an idea came into her head. She then handed the keys back to her Digimon partner.

"Stay here and look after Patamon when the paramedics and I leave. Make sure you lock the door and I'll do my best to keep you updated from the hospital. TK's D-Terminal is on his bed so I'll send messages to it for you both," Kari informed Gatomon of her plan as Patamon handed her a towel so she could treat TK.

"I'll put these keys with his D-Terminal and then come back and help, but Patamon and I should hide when the ambulance staff turn up in case they see us," Gatomon suggested and received nods of agreement from both Patamon and Kari before she sprinted off into TK's room to put the keys somewhere safe.

Kari took the towel that Patamon was offering her and quickly folded it so it would completely cover the slash on the left side his chest. She carefully slid the towel under the remains of his shirt, which she had tied around him, as Patamon started to tend to the wound on TK's face. The brunette used the makeshift bandage to hold the towel in place so it would soak up some of the blood leaking from his torso.

It was then she again realised that she could feel TK's blood all over the skin of her hands, arms, chest, stomach, back and face. The teen girl could smell and even taste her love's blood and that was the last her stomach could handle. Kari quickly spun around so she was facing away from her boyfriend and she threw up the contents of her stomach all over the floor. She found herself retching several times and cursed herself for doing so. She felt she should be stronger and be helping TK, not being sick like she was.

The teen girl vomited one last time, emptying the last of her stomach contents over the Takaishi apartment floor. She knelt there and took several deep breaths to try and regain her composure. The brunette then reached over and took one of the many towels Patamon had brought to help TK and wiped the remainder of the sick from her mouth and nose.

"Drink this, Kari," Gatomon said as she arrived by her human partner's side.

Kari glanced up and smiled gratefully as her eyes set on the glass of water her feline friend had brought her. She took the glass that Gatomon was offering to her and drank all the water to remove the taste of sick from her mouth. The brunette finished it quickly and set the glass down on the floor.

"Thanks Gatomon. Now could you give me a hand please?" The teen girl asked as she turned back around to face TK. She saw her Digimon partner nod her reply. "Can you place a gentle pressure on the towel over TK's chest? But don't put too much pressure on it because his ribs are broken."

"Ok," Gatomon replied as she jumped over to TK and did just as her partner had asked. She carefully placed both of her paws on the wound and gently applied pressure.

Kari quickly grabbed two more towels and wrapped them around her unconscious boyfriend's partially severed arm. She tied one of them around the top of his arm and then placed the other towel over the wound. The teen girl applied as much pressure as she could to stop the bleeding, hoping that doing so would help the doctors save his arm.

Then a thought occurred to her. She quickly removed her left hand from TK's arm, leaving just her right hand to apply the necessary pressure. The brunette teen used her left hand to pull her pink phone out of her pocket again and she flipped it open. She had to let one of the other Digidestined know what was going on. Kari quickly scrolled through her contacts and stopped on Tai's name. She was about to call her brother but then realised ringing Matt would probably be better. Kari quickly scrolled up to Matt's name before she hit the green dial button and put her phone on loud speaker. She placed the phone on the floor and went back to applying pressure to TK's arm.

"Kari!" Matt answered his phone almost immediately. The older boy spoke in a concerned voiced as he continued. "Where are you?"

"What the hell do you and TK thing you are doing?" Tai shouted angrily down the phone, making Kari realised Matt had her on loudspeaker too and that he was with her brother. "Why didn't you wait until the meeting to go and fight Neodevimon?"

Kari could feel her tears starting to flow freely from her mahogany brown eyes again. She had no idea when they had stopped from earlier but now they were pouring down her face faster than ever. The teen girl just sobbed uncontrollably as her emotions finally got the better of her.

"What's wrong?" Matt asked her in an even more worried manner than before. She knew he could hear her crying and that had added panic to the older boy's tone. "Where's TK?"

"TK's bleeding to death!" Kari cried out loud, knowing the people on the other end of the phone could hear her. "Neodevimon tried to kill me and TK was injured as he saved me. He's nearly lost his arm and there is a massive slash in his chest. There's one down his face too! I think the impact of either him tackling me or Neodevimon's claw hitting him knocked him out because he's not moving, but he is still breathing."

"Get something and apply pressure to the wounds," Joe spoke up for the first time and told her what to do in a calm tone.

"I am doing but there's still blood everywhere!" Kari replied as she felt her panic rising. She realised that she needed to regain her self control and began taking deep breaths to calm herself down. The brunette knew that she would be of no use to TK if she was in hysterics.

"Have you called for an ambulance?" Tai asked with all his earlier anger clearly replaced by serious concern.

"Yes," the teen girl's voice still quivered as she answered her brother. She took a few more deep breaths and forced herself to concentrate. "The paramedics are on their way now."

"I hear someone coming," Gatomon announced as her vastly superior hearing allowed her to listen to some people rushing out of the lift and down the corridor to get to the apartment.

"You guys hide," Kari quickly ordered and the Digimon nodded before they darted off to watch inconspicuously from TK's bedroom. "I think it's the paramedics."

"I'll meet you at the hospital," Matt said before he ended the call.

Kari turned her head to face the main door of the apartment just as three men in light grey shirts, blue jackets and dark grey trousers rushed in with a stretcher. They had a neck brace, a backboard and the other usual equipment on the stretcher.

"Help him," Kari pleaded as she made eye contract with the closest man. "He's bleeding to death!"

"Move aside, we're here to help," the first medic replied as he grabbed his medical kit and knelt down beside TK.

Kari did as she was told and let go of TK's partially severed arm so the medics could treat the blonde boy. The teen girl stepped back and picked up her phone as she watched the three men start their work. She saw them take off her makeshift bandages and replace them with proper ones before they placed TK in a neck brace. The medics quickly slid the backboard under him before they lifted him up and placed the unconscious teen on the stretcher.

"Can I come with you?" Kari asked as one of the paramedics looked at her. "He's my boyfriend and I don't want to leave his side."

"Yeah, that's ok," he replied as he started inspecting her body for any injuries. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Kari tried to reassure the man, ignoring the pain in the back of her head, the sickness, the dizziness, her grazes and the pain in her pelvis. "It's all TK's blood."

The medic nodded before they both followed his colleagues who were wheeling TK down the corridor and to the lift. Kari shut the apartment door behind her before the two of them sprinted to catch up. The sharp pain in Kari's hip came back as she darted over to her boyfriend. The metal lift doors opened quickly and they all hurried inside.

"What's your name and what is his name?" The same medic glanced at her as he quickly pulled out a form to fill in.

"I'm Hikari Kamiya and he is my boyfriend, Takeru Takaishi," Kari replied as the lift felt like it was taking forever to reach the lobby of the apartment complex.

"Does he have any long term illnesses, allergies, health problems or is he taking any medication right now?" The man continued to ask for important information.

"No," the brunette girl answered as the lift finally reached the lobby and the doors slid open.

The group quickly sprinted to the ambulance waiting outside the apartment complex. The paramedics pushed TK up to the already open backdoors before they quickly pushed the blonde boy inside. Two medics jumped in with TK and motioned for Kari to join them. She climbed in and took a seat at the far end of the cabin as the medics closed the doors behind her.

"What blood type is he?" The same medic who had asked the teen girl the questions earlier asked her for another important piece of information as the ambulance set off with its sirens blazing.

Kari's eyes opened wide as she thought back to a conversation she had with TK two years ago. He had asked for her blood type just in case she ever had anymore health problems like the ones she had when she was younger. They both realised then that they were the same blood type and that it could be useful in desperate situations such as this one.

"A plus, just like me," Kari replied and she stuck her right arm out in front of her. "Take some of my blood to replace the blood he's lost."

The medic glanced over to his partner, who shrugged at him, before he looked back at Kari. "We're not meant to take blood directly from one person and place it into another, especially from someone as young as you."

"Please," she begged desperately, knowing she could help save her boyfriend's life with her own blood. "He's lost so much blood and you've got as much as you need right here to replace it."

"We are supposed to use blood from the blood bank but we can make exceptions in emergencies, such as this," he conceded, knowing how much blood the teen boy he was treating had already lost because he had seen the pool and trail of the crimson fluid back in the apartment.

"Thanks," Kari smiled gratefully as the man wiped TK's blood off the inside of her right elbow and sterilised the area.

"Do you currently have any health problems or illnesses?" The medic inquired as he prepared the necessary equipment to draw some of Kari's blood from her body. "Are you pregnant or taking any medication?"

"No to all of them," the brunette replied calmly as she felt the man putting pressure on her arm to find a suitable blood vessel. He found one quickly and Kari watched as he pushed a needle into it.

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Hmm … another sort of cliff hanger ending to this chapter, but isn't as dramatic as the last one. Did I over do it with the descriptions of TK's injuries and the blood? I wondered if I should change the rating to M while I was writing this chapter because of the injuries. Please let me know what you think to that and the rest of this chapter by clicking the blue review button below =D


	23. Healing Part 1

**Chapter 23: Healing Part 1**

Heya peeps. Thanks for the reviews of the last chapter. I can't believe this fic has 150 reviews! Thank you everyone for your support, I really means a lot to me =D

Disclaimer time; I don't own Digimon or any other copyrighted thing I mention in this fic. I wouldn't be writing disclaimers if I did.

This chapter is the penultimate one …

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"Thanks," Matt quickly replied to the brunette lady sitting behind the reception counter at the hospital. He turned to his left and looked along the corridor that the woman had directed him down to get to where the doctors were already operating on TK.

Matt ran down the white walled corridor with Tai right behind him. Both of the teen boys were panting, having sprinted straight over to the hospital as soon as Kari called them to tell the Digidestined about what had happened to TK. They knew that the ambulance would take him to this hospital but that didn't mean it was any easier for them to get to it. They had been running for over half an hour because they were unable to get a lift or a taxi to the hospital in a nearby district of the city.

The healthy living posters on the walls passed by the boys in a blur, not that the content of said posters mattered to them. All they cared about was getting to TK and Kari. They both darted to the right and down another white corridor, dodging a man walking in the opposite direction. The corridor was a short one and the boys soon turned left and then right again so they were running down the corridor that led them to the operating theatres.

Matt slowed down and paid careful attention to the white writing on each of the blue signs as he searched for the room number the receptionist had given him. Tai was walking behind him doing the same thing. They passed numerous people with anxious expressions etched on their faces, which Matt presumed was because their loved ones were being operated on in some of the other theatres.

"There it is," Tai announced and pointed at the sign that had the number and letter of the operating theatre TK was in written on it.

Both boys quickly sprinted to the sign and turned the right corner into the small corridor that led to the theatre. The white walled corridor was short, no more than ten metres long, and had four green seats placed outside the room. There were double hinged swinging doors that allowed patients to be wheeled in and out of the operating room easily and quickly. Next to the doors was a small window that allowed loved ones to glimpse in at the operation and that was where Kari was standing with all of her weight on her left leg.

Both Tai and Matt froze in shock as their eyes set upon Kari. Neither of them could believe the state she was in. The brunette girl stood there with her palms and forehead pressed against the window, watching the doctors working on TK. The teen girl herself was covered in blood. It was in her hair and smeared across her face. Her white top was soaked with the crimson fluid and had been torn so her stomach was exposed. The teen boys could see her stomach and back were covered in blood too and they presumed it had leaked through the remains of her shirt to her skin. Her stone washed blue jeans hadn't avoided the bloodbath either, although they weren't soaked in the red liquid like her shirt was.

Matt and Tai snapped out of their shock and darted up to Kari's side. Tai instantly started inspecting his sister for any injuries and Matt assumed the older Kamiya sibling thought it was his sister's blood. Matt felt he knew straightaway from what Kari had told him on the phone that it was TK's blood, not hers.

Kari had tears rolling down her cheeks as she continued to stare at TK in the operating room. She was sniffling and didn't even acknowledge both boys as they arrived at her side. They both placed their hands on her shoulders in a gesture of support as Tai continued his inspection of his sister.

Matt then glanced into the operating theatre and saw several men and women in green surgery coats working on his brother. TK was lying motionless on the table as the doctors were doing something to his left arm and chest. Matt remembered they were the areas that his brother had injured from what Kari had told him over the phone.

"I'm fine," Kari shrugged off Tai's inspection and regained Matt's attention. The blonde boy noticed the younger girl's blooded hand prints were all over the window of the operating room. She didn't take her eyes of the unconscious boy in the theatre as she continued. "It's all TK's blood. He's hurt really bad."

Matt gazed back at his unconscious brother on the operating room table. "What happened?"

"Neodevimon tried to kill me. I tried to run but I couldn't get away. TK managed to save me just in time," Kari spoke in a quivering voice as she answered the question. "He pushed me out of the way of Neodevimon's claw just in time but that meant he couldn't get out of the way himself."

"How bad are his injuries?" Tai asked in a soft, calming voice. He didn't want to make his younger sister anymore upset than she already was. "What are they doing to him now?"

"They're trying to save his left arm. Neodevimon's claw cut straight through the top of it and it's hanging on by one muscle and part of his skin. The bone in the top of his arm is completely broken too," the brunette girl informed the two older teens before taking a deep breath in an attempt to recompose herself. "There was blood leaking out everywhere from it and I could see inside it. It's awful."

"What about his other injuries?" Matt didn't want to force the younger girl to recall what had just happened but he had to know what state his brother was in.

"They're working on TK's ribs too. They x-rayed him and found five of them were broken from where Neodevimon's claw made contact with his chest. They also x-rayed his neck and head and found a minor hairline fracture on the right side of his skull," Kari sighed before she continued. "I think that was where his head hit my pelvis as he tackled me. I guess that's what knocked him out because the slash on the other side of his head isn't deep enough to have knocked him out."

"A fractured skull?" Matt's eyes darted to the brunette teen as his voice rose in panic.

"Yeah," Kari nodded. "But it's only a small fracture above his right eye and the doctors said there isn't much they can do about it. There's no brain damage either. So it really isn't their main concern while they're trying to fix his arm, chest and the slash on the left side of his face."

"What's this?" Tai continued the bombardment of questions as his eyes caught sight of a plaster covering the inside of his younger sibling's right elbow. He placed his right index finger on the dressing.

"It's where they took some blood out of me to give it to TK," Kari replied as she shrugged Tai's hand away from her again. "We're the same blood type and I made them do it. It turns out he would have bled to death if I didn't because there wasn't enough blood in the ambulance to replace the blood he'd lost. They took a couple of litres of my blood and I would have given more if they'd let me. That's my blood that the doctors are putting into TK right now."

The group ignored the sound of footsteps nearby as they all gazed into the operating theatre. The sight of a man in a black suite with a white shirt, black shoes and black tie would normally catch their attention, especially considering he was staring directly at them. His eyes studied the teens as he typed something into a handheld computer. The man ran his hand through his blonde hair before he walked off.

Kari's sobs started to increase, distracting the two older teens from TK's surgery. Matt's eyes set on the brunette girl's cheeks. He could see where the clear fluid had washed the blood off her face and that there were more tears than there was a mere minute ago.

"This is all my fault," the teen girl cried. She still refused to take her eyes off TK as the flow of tears rolling down her blood covered cheeks steadily increased. "I nearly got TK killed."

Both Matt and Tai instantly placed their arms around her in a comforting gesture. Matt could feel the blood, his brother's blood, in Kari's clothes and it made him feel sick. He could only imagine how the younger girl felt at that moment. He worked out she must be able to feel TK's blood all over her as it had soaked through her clothes to her skin.

"It isn't your fault, Kari," Matt tried to reassure her. "TK had to save you otherwise Neodevimon would have killed you."

"But if I was faster then I could have got out of the way on my own," the teen girl continued as her emotions started to get the better of her again. "And then TK wouldn't have been hurt."

"Neodevimon would have still gone for you and you know that, Kari," Tai replied in a serious tone. "And not just you, Neodevimon would have attacked anyone who went into the Digital World with TK. You saw what happened when we all went and he attacked Matt. It's not your fault."

"If you want to blame someone then blame Neodevimon," Matt took over from Tai. "He was the one who attacked you and he was the one who wanted to make TK suffer. It's all his fault and you're not to blame at all. TK would never blame you for this."

"And think of what the alternative is," Tai continued. "You would be dead if it wasn't for TK. At least he is still alive and TK is a fighter. TK will never give up and he will survive this. You of all people should know that, Kari."

"You've seen it enough times with your own eyes," Matt finished for the two older teens.

Kari let out a hollow laugh as she thought over their words. "I would have been dead a long time ago if it wasn't for TK. He always seems to be saving me. I need him and he can't die! Not like this! I … I love him and we've only just started to explore …"

The teen girl couldn't continue as her sobs took over. The two older boys glanced at each other as their minds registered what she was telling them. It was the first time they had heard either TK or Kari admit to what they knew to be their true feelings for one another, although they had already worked out something was going on between their siblings.

"Did you ever tell him that you love him?" Tai asked in a caring tone to try and calm his sister down. "Is that what is upsetting you so much? Is it that you never told TK your true feelings towards him?"

"I … I've told … him," Kari stated between sobs. "I told him just after we kissed for the first time. He told me that he loved me too. We were just starting to explore the new direction in which our relationship was going and … and it was amazing. It can't end … not like this."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Matt asked more out of curiosity than anything else.

"Because we were frightened of how both of you, Davis and everyone else would react to us officially being a couple," the brunette replied. She still kept her eyes fixed on her boyfriend, watching the doctors doing their best to save him. "TK and I thought that both of you wouldn't approve of it."

"You're kidding, right?" Tai asked in disbelief. "We want you and TK to be together. Why else do you think we teased you both so much about the rumours that suggested you were dating? I couldn't think of a better boyfriend for you."

"And you're the prefect girl for TK," Matt added his support to their relationship. "He needs you and loves you as much as you need and love him."

"Thanks," Kari smiled weakly as the older Digidestineds' words registered in her mind. She was happy that they approved of her relationship with TK but then she remembered the main reason TK wanted it to be a secret. It was because he was worried what Tai would think about it. "Tai, you had better tell him that when he regains consciousness because he was really frightened that you would punch him for being my boyfriend."

"I'll tell him that I'm happy he is dating you," Tai smiled back at his younger sister. "I'll tell him at the first chance I get when he regains consciousness and the doctors have sorted out all of his injuries."

Tai was about to continue but the group were distracted by the sound of two people running down the corridor. Two adults sprinted around the corner to the operating room and stopped just behind the three Digidestined. It was TK's and Matt's mother and father.

"What happened?" Matt's mother, Nancy, quickly asked as she stared at her youngest son through the window of the theatre. The tears in her eyes began flowing freely down her face.

Matt gulped because he didn't want to tell his parents what happened but he knew it would be better to get this over with now. Putting it off would only complicate things further. "Well TK was in the Digital World and …"

* * *

Matt lent up against the white walls of the corridor outside of the operating theatre. He stared into the room and watched the doctors who were still working away on his younger brother. TK had been in there over three hours and in that time a nurse had told them that they had managed to stop the bleeding and save the teen boy's left arm. However, the doctors were still working away because they now needed to reattach various muscles, ligaments and the bone itself so TK could regain some use of his arm.

Both Matt's mother and father sat on the green seats to his left with Tai and Kari's parents. Mr. Kamiya and Mrs. Kamiya had rushed down to the hospital as well to check on Kari but she had shrugged them off and only really paid attention to what was happening to TK. Both Matt and Tai had the unwanted task of telling their parents why TK was in there but they both agreed it would be better that they told the story how they understood it because they didn't want to put Kari through anymore pain.

Tai sat on the floor opposite Matt. He was staring at the ground and lost in his own thoughts. The Leader of the Digidestined still had his concerned expression etched across his face, as did the rest of the group waiting for TK's operation to finish.

Kari was still stood at the window of the operating theatre with her eyes fixed on her injured boyfriend. She looked truly awful and was in a real mess. The brunette girl had dry blood all over her face, chest, stomach, arms and back. It was also dried into her hair and her clothes. She had also left several bloody hand prints over the window from where she had rested them and her forehead against the glass. The blood covering her face had two clean streaks down both of her cheeks, which were the result of her on and off tears rolling down her face and washing the blood away.

Mrs. Kamiya glanced at her watch before she looked up at Kari, who was still keeping all of her weight on her left leg. She sighed, getting the attention of everyone but the young brunette girl. "I think it is time for us to go and leave you in peace."

She stood up and was joined by her husband. Tai glanced up and sighed before pulling himself to his feet too. A conflicted expression formed on his face because he didn't really want to leave until TK left the operating room. He wanted to see if the younger teen was alright with his own eyes. Everyone's gaze then set upon Kari who hadn't moved from her spot at the window.

"Kari dear, it's time to go," Mrs. Kamiya spoke softly as she repeated herself, assuming her daughter hadn't heard her the first time.

"I'm not leaving," Kari replied in an emotionless tone as she continued to stare at TK because he was the only thing that mattered to her at that moment.

"Come on dear," Yuuko Kamiya continued in her soft voice as she realised she would have to persuade the teen girl to leave the hospital with them. "We should leave Mr. Ishida and Ms. Takaishi in peace. Besides, you need to wash all of that blood off you. You can't stay here looking like that."

"I'm not leaving TK," the teen girl simply stated and still refused to turn around as she spoke.

"Kari, you have to go," her mother spoke more sternly this time. "Now come on."

"It's ok, she can stay with us if she wants to," Nancy offered as she glanced over to her son's best friend turned girlfriend.

"I wouldn't want to bother you like that at such a time as this," Yuuko smiled at Nancy before returning her gaze back to Kari. "Now come on Hikari. I'm sure TK will understand and you can come back tomorrow."

"No, I'm not leaving him!" Kari turned to face her mother. Her eyes narrowed in her anger as she left the window for the first time since TK had entered the operating room. Kari found her pelvis and stomach were hurting more than ever. She also noticed her headache and dizziness were getting worse. The brunette teen guess that she could feel the pain more now her adrenaline had worn off.

Kari limped away from the window and into the middle of the corridor. She realised she couldn't put any of her weight onto her right leg anymore and had no idea why. The brunette thought than it could have something to do with her pelvis being injured. The teen girl kept her glare on her mother as she felt everyone's eyes piercing into her.

Matt gulped when he recognised the expression on Kari's face. Her eyes were narrowed and she had an intense metaphorical aura around her which was the same as TK's when someone really angered him. It was the same sort of intense anger that Ken said TK had when they got into that fight two years ago. It scared Matt to see Kari like that because he had never seen her that angry.

The blonde teen quickly glanced around and noticed he wasn't the only one who seemed scared by it. Tai actually looked as if he was scared of what his sister might do and was ready to jump in if anything happened. Yuuko also seem to be shocked by her daughter's response and a silence fell over the corridor.

"I am not leaving TK," Kari stated again in a low stern tone that clearly showed her intentions. "TK never left my side five years ago when I was ill in the Digital World and he would never leave me if the roles were reverse right now. So I'm not leaving here until he does."

Tai walked over to his sister and placed his left hand on her shoulder. "She's right, Mom. TK never left her side when she was ill in the Digital World."

"And if the roles were reversed then not even the devil himself could take Kari away from him," Matt added his support for Kari as he stood behind her on her left side. He pointed back to the operating theatre as he continued. "The devil just tried to take Kari from him and TK nearly died as he saved her."

"I would have died a long time ago if TK wasn't always saving me," Kari added as her voice started to quiver again. Her tears began to flow out of her eyes as she dropped to her knees. She buried her face into her hands and started crying. "He's always there to save me. He's my … my hero and I … I love him so … so much. He's been there to save me when nobody else could save me. I need him and I … I'm not leaving him."

Both Tai and Matt knelt down and placed their hands on Kari's shoulders in a comforting gesture. The brunette girl continued to cry into her hands, unknowingly attracting the attention of a passing nurse. Yuuko knelt down in front of her daughter too as her expression altered.

"And it's not just me he's always saving. There would be nothing left if it wasn't for TK," Kari continued through her sobs. "He's always saving the Digital World and this world too and sometimes single handily by himself. He'll never want any praise for saving me either and he'll say we won the battle as a team."

"Kari," Yuuko stopped her daughter in a soft and caring tone. "How about you come home with us, get washed and changed then we'll bring you back? How does that sound?"

"Excuse me, ma'am," the nurse interrupted and bowed her head respectfully. "I'm sorry for interrupting but she could use one of the showers here in the hospital. I could arrange something for you if you want?"

Mrs. Kamiya stood up and turned to face the young black haired nurse. She smiled gratefully at the younger woman. "Thanks. That would be great if it's not too much trouble."

"It's no problem. I can sort it out right now for you. I'll be right back," the nurse replied and bowed again before heading off to sort out the necessary arrangements.

"Kari, your father and I will go home to get you some clean clothes and come back with them," Yuuko patted her daughter's back before turning to Nancy. "Are you sure it's ok that she stays here with you?"

"Yeah, it's fine," Nancy nodded and smiled at Yuuko to let her know it wasn't a problem.

"Knowing TK like I do, Kari will be the first person he'll want to see when he comes around," Matt added to reassure his friends' mother.

"I'd like to stay too if it's not too much trouble," Tai added as he glanced at the doors of the operating room before looking over to the adults for a reply.

"That's fine," Nancy replied for them. "Now Yuuko, Susumu, you both had better go and get Kari's clean clothes because it must be horrible for her to be in those clothes right now."

* * *

Matt sighed and lifted his face out of his palms so he could glance around the room again. He couldn't get any sleep while sitting up in this really uncomfortable and hard hospital chair and he wondered how his parents and Tai had managed to drift off in the same position he was in. The blonde teen's ocean blue eyes left his parents and friend sat to his right and glanced around the rest of the room.

There was a small light on in the far corner that illuminated the white walls and ceiling as well as the blue floor. It was the only source of light in the room as the blinds of the window opposite him were shut, keeping the night time glow of Tokyo out. The blinds of the windows behind him were also shut, blocking out the light from the corridor. The only other source of light in the room was from the heart rate monitor that beeped away as it measured TK's pulse.

Matt's eyes set on his younger brother. He hated the sight before him but was relieved that TK was going to be fine. The younger blonde had various tubes and drips inserted into his body to help his recovery and to make sure he didn't die. He was still unconscious and the doctors had decided it would be best to keep him that way until after his next surgery, which was scheduled to start in five hours time.

The doctors couldn't do much about the minor fracture in TK's skull just above his right eye and suggest it would be best for him to avoid hitting the area on anything. It was swollen, bruised and looked extremely sore. The doctor who briefed Matt, his parents, Kari and Tai on TK's condition said that the younger blonde probably had a concussion as a result of the impact to his head but they wouldn't be able to confirm it until he woke up.

TK had the slash down the left side of his face stitched and stapled up and it was currently covered by bandages until the nurses could redresses it with extra large Band-Aid plasters after his next lot of surgery. He was lucky that Neodevimon's claw had only lightly caught his face. It didn't do any damage to his eye and the gash wasn't deep enough to cut his mouth open. Matt didn't want to imagine what his brother would have looked like if that had happened and he was definitely relieved his brother was only going to have a scar down his face.

The slash to the left side of TK's chest had also been stitched up by the surgeons after they had reset his five broken ribs into the correct places. When the doctor went over this particular injury with his parents, they said TK was lucky that the cut didn't go any deeper otherwise it would have damaged his lungs and probably killed him.

The doctors had managed to reattach TK's partially severed left arm. They had reattached the torn muscles and tendons before fully closing the wound. The surgeons had been forced to leave the placing of a metal plate onto the bone of the young teen's arm until the surgery later in the day. After that operation, TK would need a couple more operations to finish repairing his muscle and to remove the metal plate once his bone had healed.

Matt knew it was going to be a long recovery for his brother but that was ok because TK was going to live and was going to keep his left arm. The doctors had also suggested that he probably would be able to regain most of the use of his arm after physiotherapy. Matt was determined to be there to help his younger brother recover, no matter how long it took.

Matt's gaze then left TK and moved to the hospital bed next to his brother's, which made him sighed. Kari was lying on her left side, so she was facing TK, and the teen girl was finally asleep in the bed. Matt knew she had a long recovery in front of her too as her injuries were much worse than anyone had originally thought. There were a pair of crutches resting against the side of her bed that she had been give to help her walk as she now couldn't put any weight on her right leg.

After Kari had showered, the black haired nurse had taken her down to the emergency department after noticing the teen girl's limp and managed to get a doctor to quickly see her. Matt had gone down there with her and Tai and they had ended up staying in the emergence department longer than they original thought they would have done.

The doctor first inspected the cut to the back of Kari's head. She had told him about her headache, nausea and dizziness and the doctor straightaway told her she had a concussion caused by the impact to her skull. The brunette then mentioned about her pelvis and stomach. The doctor inspected the swelling and bruising and decided that her pelvis and head needed an x-ray. He said that there wasn't any damage to her abdomen and that it was just badly bruised from the impact of TK tackling her.

Kari then asked if she could give more blood to TK and the doctor had quickly told her that she couldn't. He had worked out that the brunette girl had lost a lot of blood from the wound to her head. The doctor realised the combination of the blood lost from her injury and the blood she gave to save TK meant that Kari was probably suffering from blood loss herself, but not to the severity TK was. Matt realised that Kari was willing to give her life to save TK's like TK had nearly given his life to keep her safe.

The doctor then sent her down to the x-ray room where they found out that Kari had a minor fracture down the right side of her pelvis. She said that it was probably caused by TK's head hitting her there since that's where she thought he had fractured his skull. After the x-rays found no damage to her skull, the group went back to the doctor in the accident and emergency department to get his diagnosis and treatment. He confirmed Kari's fractured pelvis and found her some crutches to use. He said there wasn't much he could do for her because it was only a minor fracture and the best way for it to heal was for her to rest it. However, he did give her some tablets to ease the pain and swelling.

Then the doctor said he was going to keep her in the hospital overnight under observation because he was worried about the amount of blood she had lost through the combination of the wound to her head and the blood she gave to TK. The teen girl's past health problems also played a part in the doctor's decision. Kari had replied that she wasn't going anywhere anyway because of TK to which the doctor pointed out that the hospital ran a single sex room policy except under exceptional circumstances. Kari then continued to say she didn't need a bed and that she was going to be with TK and refused to budge on the matter. Eventually the doctor gave in and used her concussion as a reason to put her and TK in the same room. He reasoned that people with concussions are prone to mood swings like the ones she kept having and that she might end up leaving her room then wandering around the hospital to find TK, which was something the doctor did not want.

Before Kari left the emergency room, the doctor made one last inspection of the wound to the back of her head. It was then that he decided that the teen girl should have it stapled up and bandaged to make sure it healed properly. After the completion of the quick procedure, Kari was allowed to return to TK's operating theatre as they set a hospital room up for them both.

Matt smiled as he thought about TK and Kari. TK was lucky to have a girl that cared about him as much as Kari did, if what she had said earlier was true. Matt definitely believed her, especially after she managed to get TK to safety even with a concussion and fractured pelvis. TK was lucky to have Kari just like Matt decided he was lucky to have someone who loved him as much as Sora.

The young man yawned as he stretched out his arms and legs, being careful not to catch Tai who was still snoozing to his right. Matt glanced at TK once more and decided that he would try and get to sleep again. He folded his arms and placed them on his knees before resting his forehead on them. The blonde teen closed his eyes in another attempt to get some sleep so he could be awake before TK was due back in the operating theatre in a few hours time.

* * *

Well, what do you guys think? Please let me know by clicking that blue review button below =D Only one chapter left now …


	24. Healing Part 2

**Chapter 24: Healing Part 2**

Heya everyone. Thanks for the reviews of the last chapter. I'm glad you all liked that chapter so much =D

Now it's time for the disclaimer, as always. I don't own Digimon or any other copyright thing I mention in this fic. If I did then I would be able to afford a holiday to the Caribbean or somewhere else warm. It's freezing here in England.

It's now time for the final chapter!

* * *

Kari perched on the edge of the uncomfortable hospital chair with her arms folded and resting on the side of TK's hospital bed. She glanced around the room, noting that the daylight streaming through the windows gave the white room a bright and airy feel. Tai, Matt, Sora and both of TK's parents had left her in the room and had gone to get some food from the hospital café. The teen girl had decided not to join them because she wanted to stay by her boyfriend's side. Besides, the doctor had told her to limit her walking, even with her crutches, for a couple of weeks until her concussion had gone and her pelvis started to heal.

The brunette sighed and rubbed her almond brown eyes. They were still red and sore from all the crying she had done over the last few days. After rubbing her eyes, Kari refolded her arms and gazed at her boyfriend. She smiled as she watched him breathing slowly as he slept and recovered from his injuries. The teen girl then rested her head on her arms and closed her eyes. The headache and nausea associated with her concussion were still bothering her.

She perched in that position for several minutes, listening to the beeping of TK's heart rate monitor. The teen girl's smile grew as she remembered it was her blood that she had given to save his life that his heart was pumping around his body. She had managed to return the favour by saving his life after he had saved hers.

Kari then felt a hand rest on her head. She recognised the soft, gentle touch as it stroked her hair before carefully sliding down her cheek. Her eyes shot wide open as a beaming smile formed on her face. It was TK's hand.

The brunette girl clasped her boyfriend's right hand in both of hers and she looked up at him. She felt a massive wave of relief flow through her body as her gaze locked onto TK's now open sapphire eyes. Kari watched him return her smile while he continued to gently stroke her cheek with his hand.

"I'm so glad you're ok," TK spoke softly as he continued to gazing into his girlfriend's eyes. Fortunately the doctors had removed the pipe that was down his throat and most of the drips last night after his second surgery since his life was no longer in danger.

"Oh TK," Kari felt tears starting to well up in her eyes. TK always had to think of her over himself even while he was in hospital. "I'm fine thanks to you. You saved me again and I'm so happy you're wake, my hero. I love you."

Kari felt her emotions takeover as her tears started rolling down her cheeks. She stood up on her left leg and carefully lent over her boyfriend. She placed her hands either side of his blonde head, closing the distance between their faces as she did so.

"I love you too," TK replied as he tried to get up. "I thought Neodevimon was going to get you."

Kari used her left hand to push the blonde boy back down as she slid her painful right leg onto his bed. She replaced her hand next to the teen boy's head so it and her other limbs could support her weight as she lent over her boyfriend with her face centimetres from his. The brunette teen was being very careful because she didn't want to place any weight onto her right leg or TK's injured chest and left arm.

"He didn't thanks to you," Kari sniffled, trying to stop the flow of tears that were now dripping onto the blonde boy under her. "And forget about Neodevimon. He's dead. Magnaangemon stabbed him in the chest and placed him into the Gate of Destiny just after you saved me. We won … just. He nearly killed you."

"I'm still here. I promised you that I wouldn't get myself killed, didn't I?" TK said softly as his hand moved around to the back of Kari's head. She felt his fingers twitch as he touched the stapled up cut on the back of her head and a look of concern quickly spread across his face. "Are you ok? What happened?"

Kari sighed. She was somehow feeling annoyed and loved for at the same time because TK was worrying about her more than himself even though he was far worse off. She decided to tell him about his injuries before she told him about hers, despite it not being his original question.

"You nearly lost your left arm," she replied as she glanced at the mentioned limb. His arm was complete covered by a cast to make sure the bone in his upper arm, the torn muscle and the torn tendons all healed in the right places. "Neodevimon's claw cut straight through it after you pushed me to safety. It was hanging on by one muscle and some of your skin. It completely broke your arm. It was horrible. The doctors had to reattach several tendons and muscles as well as screw metal plates into your bone to fix it. You were in surgery yesterday and the day before that too."

TK glanced at his left arm and tried to move it. The cast stopped him from moving everything except his fingers. "Well, at least I can still move my fingers and I'm sure I'll be able to move the rest of it when the cast is off."

Kari shook her head in disbelief at the blonde boy's optimism before she continued to tell him about his other injuries. "You also have a deep gash down the left side of your chest. Neodevimon's claw broken five ribs and you were lucky that it didn't puncture your lung."

"I guess that's why I'm struggling to breathe properly," TK thought aloud as he carefully ran the index finger of his right hand over the cut on the back of his girlfriend's head again.

Kari's teary eyes then moved back to her boyfriend's face and locked on to the three large Band-Aid plasters that covered the stitched and stapled up slash down the left side of it. Her eyes then moved to the bruised and swollen bump above his right eye where the minor fracture was in his skull.

"You were also lucky that Neodevimon's claw didn't make anymore contact with your head. It's only a shallow cut but it runs down the entire left side of your face and will leave a scar," the brunette continued her assessment. "If it was any deeper it could have injured your eye or cut open your mouth. Then there's the minor fracture in your skull just above your right eye. You're definitely suffering from blood loss and you might have a concussion too. Do you have a headache and feel dizzy or sick?"

"Now that you mention it, I do have a headache and I do feel kind of dizzy," TK sighed and answered truthfully. He didn't see the point in lying about how he felt and what hurt since Kari already knew a lot more about it than he did.

Kari sighed again and looked straight into TK's sapphire eyes once more. "That makes two of us."

"Why?" The blonde teen quickly asked as his concern returned to his voice. He ran his finger along the cut on the back of Kari's head again.

"Well, we were both running at each other as fast as we could and, when you tackled me, we hit one another pretty hard," the brunette answered sheepishly. She didn't really want to worry her boyfriend with what she considered were her minor injuries. "I think your head hit my hip, which fractured your skull and gave me a minor fracture down the right side of my pelvis. I then hit my head hard on the ground and cut it open. I didn't really know much about either the fracture or the cut because I was more worried about you. I've been worried sick about you. Literally physically sick, although the doctor blames that on my blood loss and concussion."

"Blood loss?" TK repeated her words with his concern evermore present in his tone.

"Yeah," Kari continued. "The combination of the blood I lost from the cut and the blood I gave to keep you alive means I'm a little low on the stuff right now. Giving you my blood was the least I could do after you saved my life."

"Thanks," he replied and smiled gratefully as they continued to stare into each other's eyes. His smile then dropped and he sighed. "I'm sor…"

Kari cut him off mid-sentence by opening her mouth and placing her lips carefully over his. She wasn't going to let him apologise to her for something that was definitely not his fault. The brunette could feel him kissing her back as their lips slowly slid over each other's. They closed their eyes and opened their mouths slightly wider as they pushed in for more.

A wave that consisted of a mixture of relief and joy spread through Kari's body just because she could kiss her boyfriend again. Two days ago she feared she would never be able to kiss him like this again as he lay in the operating theatre with doctors trying to save his life. She could feel the large Band-Aid dressings that covered the stitching down the left side of his top and bottom lips as her lips slid over his. It reminded Kari of just how lucky she was that they both had survived Neodevimon's attack and just how lucky she was to be TK's girlfriend.

After a minute, the couple reluctantly pulled their lips apart and opened their eyes. They found themselves staring loving into each other's eyes as they tried to regain their breath. Kari found herself lowering her lips back down to TK's after only a few seconds. She wanted to feel his lips against hers again because it meant he was awake and therefore alive.

TK and Kari both closed their eyes and let their lips touch again. They slid their lips back over each other's as they gently pushed forwards for more. The couple were happy that they were both safe and felt this was the best way to express their feelings. After all, actions speak louder than words.

"Well TK's heart rate sure has risen a lot since we left," Matt's voice interrupted the two kissing teens. His tone was mixture of joy, relief and a slight hint of mischievousness as he gazed at the couple.

Kari's and TK's eyes shot wide open and they quickly broke the kiss. Deep red blushes rapidly spread across their cheeks as they realised someone had caught them kissing. Kari was still embarrassed about it even though she had told Matt and Tai about her relationship with TK. She quickly turned her head around and noticed Matt, Sora and Tai all standing in the doorway with huge grins spread across their faces.

"Matt! Tai! I…" TK groaned in pain as he tried to sit up. The pain forced him to stop mid-sentence. He had started to panic when he saw his brother and Kari's brother, as he didn't know that they already knew about him and Kari being a couple.

"TK," Kari's voice was full of concern as she spun her head around to her boyfriend. She placed her left hand on his right shoulder and carefully pushed him back into the bed. The brunette girl could see the worry mixed with panic and pain in his eyes. "It's ok, I told them about us so don't worry. Are you ok?"

Matt, Tai and Sora sprinted over to TK's side as soon as they heard him gasp in pain. The three older teens all lent over the boy with concerned expressions replacing the happy ones that they had on their faces just seconds ago. TK winced and took several sharp gasps of air before his breathing calmed down.

"Yeah, I'm fine," TK sighed as he relaxed in the bed and stared up at the four people around him. He eyes then locked back onto Kari's. "You could have told me that they knew. I thought Tai was going to kill me."

"I'm sorry," Kari gave him an apologetic look as she moved her hand off his shoulder and placed it back on the bed.

"It's ok," TK replied and gave her one of his trademark bright hope-filled smiles. He then slid his right hand from the back of Kari's head to her left cheek, wiping away the tears before wiping the tears off her right cheek too. Kari felt her smile return when she saw his trademark grin.

"So why did you think I was going to kill you?" Tai asked as smiles also replaced the worry on the older Digidestineds' faces.

"Because you're very protective of Kari," TK replied as he glanced from Kari to Tai. His eyes then returned to his girlfriend as he felt her shift.

The brunette girl carefully climbed onto TK's bed and lay on her left side with her head on her boyfriend's right shoulder. She felt him wrap his right arm around her back as she carefully slid her left arm under his neck and then draped it gently across his chest. The teen girl then cautiously took the blonde boy's left hand in her right hand and felt him entwine his fingers with hers.

"So are you," Tai stated in a matter of face tone as he replied to TK. "You nearly died trying to save her. Besides, if I had to pick someone to be her boyfriend then you would top the list. In fact you are the list."

"Thanks Tai," TK smiled gratefully at the bushy haired boy. He was glad that Kari's older brother approved of his relationship with her.

"TK can move his left hand," Kari interrupted, making everyone's eyes focus on the fingers that were entwined with hers.

Matt sighed in relief as he watched his brother wiggle his fingers before entwining them with Kari's again. "That's good. The doctors were really worried that you might have severed the nerves in your arm."

"They're fine," TK smiled at his brother before he glanced around the room. "Where are Patamon and Gatomon? Are they ok?"

"They're fine but they are really worried about you," Matt replied because he was the one who was sending regular messages to them. "I've been giving them regular updates mainly because Patamon won't stop demanding them. He sends me a message from your D-Terminal every hour. He really wants to see you but he can't just in case someone in the hospital sees him and thinks he's some wild animal."

"That's a shame," TK pursed his lips. "I really wanted to see him and thank him for killing Neodevimon."

"You'll get your chance soon enough," Kari said rather happily. "You'll be out of here in no time at all now you're awake."

"He was really upset about what had happened to you when Biyomon, Yolei, Hawkmon, Cody, Armadillomon and I went to see him and Gatomon straight after you were taken to hospital," Sora sighed. "Gatomon was comforting him because he was blaming himself for you being injured. It took us awhile to convince him that he couldn't have done anything more to help you than he did."

"He's ok now. He's with Gatomon, Agumon, Gabumon and Biyomon at my place," Tai finished before a silence fell over the room.

It was Matt who broke the silence as he headed for the door. "I had better go and let Mom and Dad know that you're awake. Don't fall to sleep because I'll be right back."

* * *

The Sun shone brightly in the clear afternoon sky, bathing the Odaiba area of Tokyo city in light and warmth. A soft breeze gently swayed the green leaves of the trees as it made the temperatures bearable for the people walking the streets of the city. The streets themselves were bustling with people making the most of the great summer weather. The kids in the park were making the most of the hot dry weather before they had to return to school on the coming Monday.

Tai, Matt and Sora were walking to the same meeting point on a street corner near the Kamiya apartment. All three of them were coming from separate directions after finishing their various practices for the day. Tai had just finished his football training then showered in the changing rooms and headed straight for the meeting point. He had his red football kit bag, which was full of his dirty clothes, slung over his left shoulder. Sora had finished her tennis match before going home to shower and setting off to meet her friends. Finally, Matt's band had finished their practice early, which had allowed him to go home and drop off his guitar before meeting up with the others.

The three sixteen year old Digidestined were all meeting up early before they were due to join Mimi and Izzy in an hour's time. They were meeting early because they had decided to visit TK and Kari. It had been a month since the younger teens managed to defeat Neodevimon and they had spent that time recovering from their injuries. The two younger Digidestined were at the Kamiya apartment where Kari's and Tai's mother had been looking after them during the weekdays while TK's mother was at work. So, with this being a Friday, TK was with Kari at her apartment.

"Hi guys," Sora greeted the two teen boys as all three of them arrived at the busy street corner at the same time.

"Hey," Matt waved to Tai before he and Sora gave each other a quick kiss on the lips.

Tai chuckled as he watched his two friends. When they broke the kiss, they turned to the brunette boy with puzzled expressions on their faces.

"What?" The couple asked in unison before the group turned and started walking towards the Kamiya apartment.

"You two have been dating for about a year and a half and you still kiss like that when you meet," Tai smirked as he teased his friends. "Kari and TK have been dating for a month or so and they put a lot more passion into their kisses every morning."

"That's because we're out in public, Tai," Sora scoffed as she took Matt's left hand in her right hand. She then used her spare hand to clip Tai across the back of his head. "I bet TK and Kari also show more decorum when they're in public. We're not like you. We don't try to eat each other's faces or have a tongue wrestling match every time we meet, unlike you and a few of your ex-girlfriends."

"Yeah, Tai," Matt backed up his girlfriend. He glanced to his left at the two other Digidestined. "You see them kiss when TK arrives at your home, which is essentially a private place. It's not like they're meeting on a busy street corner like us."

"True," Tai pursed his lips and stared at the pavement as he admitted defeat. "They're both very well-mannered and I guess they wouldn't kiss so passionately in public either."

"Speaking of TK and Kari," Sora took this as her opportunity to move away from the subject of kissing. "How are they both doing? Are they going back to school on Monday like the rest of us?"

"A month isn't really long enough for either of them to recover, especially for TK," Matt sighed as a gloomy expression formed on his face.

"They're going to need awhile longer," Tai added in an equally gloomy tone. However, that changed as he thought about how quickly his sister and her boyfriend were healing. "On the plus side, they've both had the staples and stitches taken out of their wounds and they are healing fine. Kari's fractured pelvis is also healing fine, although the doctors still want her to rest it."

"Their concussions have gone too," Matt added, taking over from Tai. "As for TK's injuries, the fracture in his skull his healing fine and so are his ribs. The bone in his left arm has started to heal too but they will need to operate on it once more to remove the metal plate that is still holding it together. The doctors are still amazed by how quickly his muscles and tendons are healing and TK is very lucky most of his nerves weren't cut. He still can feel things in most of his arm and can still move his left wrist, hand and fingers without any problems."

"They should both be fine after they've finished their physiotherapy," Tai finished brightly before a smirk formed across his face. "Although I'm not entirely sure Kari is over her concussion. She's taken a liking to watching basketball on TV when TK is around and she actually knows a lot about it."

The three teens burst out laughing at Tai's joke about his sister's liking of basketball. They all knew about Tai's football addiction and now there could be a clash of sporting interest between the two siblings.

After half a minute or so, the smile faded away from Matt's face as he thought about when his brother could start playing basketball again. "The doctors have told TK he won't be playing basketball until at least April next year."

"I wonder how he'll take to sitting in the stands watching the games because he'll still have to be there to write the articles for the school paper," Sora thought aloud with her sympathy clear in her voice.

"TK will be with Kari so he'll be fine," Tai replied with a smile on his face as the three teens turned right at a familiar stone wall and made their way up the concrete steps to the main entrance of the apartment building.

The group didn't pay any attention to a random man that they passed in the lobby as they headed to the elevator. The man had blonde hair and his eyes were covered by black sunglasses despite him being inside. He wore a white shirt, black suite and black shoes that must have been cooking him in the hot weather. The man watched the three Digidestined teens as they entered the elevator before he left the building.

Tai pressed the button for the floor that his apartment was on and the clunky metal doors closed before the lift set off. The doors reopened on the correct floor and the three teens stepped out and made their way down the corridor towards the Kamiya apartment. When they reached the main door to the Kamiya household, Tai pressed the door handle down and was surprised to find it was locked.

"My Mom must be out," the bushy haired boy assumed as he pulled his keys out off the left pocket of his shorts and unlocked the door. He opened it and the group stepped inside. "Anybody home?"

The group was met with silence as they closed the door behind them and took their shoes off. They placed their shoes on the wooden rack by the main entrance and made their way over to the living area of the apartment. The three teens paused and smiled as their eyes set upon the two couples sleeping on the sofa.

TK and Kari were lying on the sofa in a similar position to the one they were in when TK first woke up in hospital. TK was lying flat on his back with his right arm wrapped around Kari's waist. Kari was lying on her left side with her back against the back of the sofa and her head resting between her boyfriend's neck and right shoulder. The brunette's left arm was wrapped around TK's neck and then carefully draped across his chest. The fingers of her right hand were entwined with the fingers of his left hand, despite his left arm still being in the white cast. Kari's crutches were lying on the floor next to the sofa to keep them out of the way.

Sleeping at the teens' feet were Patamon and Gatomon. They were curled up together too, with their arms wrapped around each other's backs as they slept peacefully. The two Digimon had announced that they were officially a couple a short time after word got out about TK and Kari. They had decided to stay on Earth for a while to try and do everything they could to help their human partners recover from their injuries.

"Aww, aren't they cute," Sora said quietly as she and the others stood at the bottom of the sofa. Her eyes studied TK's face, noting the swelling had gone from over his right eye. There was also a light pink scar down the left side of his face. It was noticeable but not in a grotesque way.

"Hi Sora," TK greeted her as he opened his sapphire eyes and moved his head so he could look at the older Digidestined. "Hi Matt. Hi Tai."

"Hey guys," Kari added as she opened her mahogany brown eyes and tilted her head slightly so she could see the others better. "How are you?"

"We're fine, thanks," Sora replied with a beaming smile. "What about you two? How are you both recovering?"

"We're fine and getting better, thanks," Kari replied for herself and TK as they both returned the smile.

"Did we wake you up?" Matt asked in an apologetic manner, hoping they hadn't disturbed the young couple.

"Nah, we were just enjoying each other's company. They're the ones who are asleep," TK smirked as he nodded towards Patamon and Gatomon who were sleeping by his and Kari's feet.

"Aww, you two make such a great couple," Sora complemented them, making a slight blush form across both TK's and Kari's cheeks. "And I'm glad you're both on your way to full recoveries."

"Where's Mom gone?" Tai interrupted and for once willingly saved the couple from a potential discussion about their relationship. He slung his red kit bag down on the chair as he glanced around the apartment.

"She's gone to the shops to get some food for us," Kari glanced over to her brother before answering his question.

"I think we should leave you two in peace," Matt suggested as he looked at his brother and Kari before glancing at Sora and then Tai to see if they agreed with him.

"No, it's ok," TK said before both he and Kari started to shift their bodies so they could sit up.

"Stay how you are," Tai's words stopped them from moving. "We only dropped by to see how you were and so I could drop off my football kit. We've got some plans for tonight because some of us have to be back at school on Monday and we want to make the most of our free time."

"We're going to meet up with Mimi and Izzy in a bit," Sora added as TK and Kari relaxed and retook the same position they were in moments ago.

"Have you noticed that Izzy and Mimi have spent most of their time together since Mimi moved back to Japan?" Tai asked as the thought came into his mind. "They're spending way too much time together to be just friends."

"You're reading too much into it, Tai," Sora shook her head in disapproval as the others laughed at Tai's suggestion.

"It's only an observation," the bushy haired teen defended himself. "Those two are behaving just like TK and Kari did before they started dating."

Matt shook his head as he glanced at Tai and chuckled. His gaze then left his best friend and fixed onto TK and Kari. "On that note, we'll leave you in peace."

"Ok, see you later," Kari replied as she waved her goodbye to her brother and older friends.

The group exchanged their goodbyes as Tai, Matt and Sora made their way over to the main entrance of the apartment. The older Digidestined then slipped their footwear back on before leaving the couples on the sofa in peace.

Kari found herself breathing in TK's scent and it made her think over everything that had happened during the summer. It made her think about the return of Neodevimon to his eventual defeat and about her relationship with TK moving beyond friendship to where it was at now. Then a particular thought came into the brunette's mind and made her smile.

She shifted her position on the sofa and moved her right hand to her boyfriend's face. Kari tilted his head so she could stare into his hope-filled sapphire eyes, gently stroking his cheek as she did so. She placed her nose and forehead against his as she thought about how to word what was going through her mind.

"You know these couples who say that they don't know where they would be without each other?" Kari started with a rhetorical question. "Well we will never be one of them because I know I would be dead if you weren't in my life. I know I've said this before but, Takeru Takaishi, you are my hero and I love you."

"I love you too, Hikari Kamiya," TK replied softly as he gazed lovingly into his girlfriend's big brown eyes. "And I also know that I would be dead if it wasn't for you."

The couple's hearts started to pound in their chests, pumping adrenaline around their bodies. They started to close their eyes and tilt their heads so their lips could meet. The teens opened their mouths and gently pushed their soft lips up against one another's to once again feel the joy that their kisses brought. TK and Kari pulled back slightly before opening their mouths a little wider and pushing forward for more. The two teens started adding more passion, deepening the kiss with every movement of their lips. Both of them could never grow tired of this feeling and every kiss they shared always seemed to be better than the previous one.

* * *

Well, that is the end of Better the Devil You Know. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter and the rest of the fic. I know I've really enjoyed writing it and I can't actually believe it has come to an end. I also can't believe this fic passed 100,000 words and that I managed to finish it within a year. I'm feeling kind of emotional about it.

I would like to thank everyone who has read this fic and left a review. I'd like to say a super big thank you to all of you who have left regular reviews for this fic. Your support gave me the motivation I needed to keep writing this story! I'm honoured by some of your comments and I'm grateful for all the tips I've received while I've been writing this fic. Thanks again guys =D

Just out of interest, does anyone want me to write a sequel? I've got an idea for one that I could write if you guys are interested. I'll probably start it after I've finished some short fics and one-shots that I plan to write over the next few months. I'll put some information about it in my profile if you guys are interested in a sequel.

Please let me know what you thought about this chapter, the story as a whole and the idea of a sequel by clicking the blue button below and leaving a review. Thanks =D


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